The pathway project was commissioned by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Collegiate Advisory Council, which is comprised of nine athletics directors and one commissioner from the autonomy conferences, to identify and remove impediments faced by elite student-athletes who are personally developing, training and competing both collegiately and internationally.
The council believes Olympic and Paralympic sports on campus thrive when national team student-athletes can pursue both their academic and athletic dreams.
NCAA Legislative Reforms:
More than 300 national team athletes, coaches and National Governing Body administrators identified key impediments, and the USOPC worked with compliance leaders to develop NCAA legislative remedies. The legislation was drafted collectively by the USOPC Legislative Task Force (named in the “resources” section) and the NCAA and supported by the USOPC Collegiate Advisory Council, in order to help national team student-athletes who are often trying to self-manage conflicts related to scheduling, training and finances. These issues are further complicated by policies and practices that do not address international sport structures, quadrennial calendars, Olympic and Paralympic qualification requirements, and elevated financial demands.
Unanimously approved by the NCAA Division I Council and Board of Directors on January 23, 2020, the legislation was designed to clearly identify NCAA elite student-athletes and extend flexibility allowing these elite athletes to reach their potential, which helps the student-athlete, collegiate programs and ultimately the sport. This legislation does not compromise the integrity of existing academic policies and precludes missing class for additional training. The legislation is nimble to allow student-athletes to customize their training, provide easier access to elite developmental resources, and encourage collaboration across the USOPC, schools and national teams.
Individuals designated by the USOPC and the sport-affiliated NGB (or the international equivalent, if a non-U.S citizen) as an elite athlete may utilize the following legislation:
- Exception for Elite Athlete Training [NCAA Bylaw 17.02.1.1]
- Exception for Developmental Training Expenses for Elite Athlete [NCAA Bylaw 12.1.2.4.8]
- Paralympic inclusion [NCAA Proposals: 2019-101, 2019-106, ER 2019-11]
Compliance officers wishing to help an international student-athlete determine if they may be eligible for these reforms can access the international evaluation form in the resources section below.