Athlete Ombuds

Athletes may have questions or concerns involving team selection/participation in protected competition, athlete agreements, benefits and services, commercial issues, disciplinary issues (code of conduct, discrimination, retaliation), athlete voice in decision-making, governance, compliance, eligibility (citizenship, membership, classification), or conflicts of interest.  

Where do I start?

1. The best place to start generally is direct communication with your NGB in order to ask questions, share your concerns and clear up any misunderstandings. You may also choose to involve your Athletes’ Advisory Council (AAC) representative.
   
   
2. At any stage in the process, athletes may contact the Athlete Ombuds to seek independent, confidential advice or for assistance in informal resolution.
   
   
3. Each NGB provides avenues for athletes to file a formal complaint and access an internal dispute resolution process – these processes and procedures are typically found within the NGB’s bylaws located on the NGB’s website.
   
   
4. The USOPC provides for additional and specific avenues of redress where an athlete believes their opportunity to participate in protected competition (as defined in Section 1.3 of the USOPC bylaws) has been denied, or where a member seeks to compel an NGB to comply with the USOPC bylaws or the Ted Stevens Act. Please click here to learn more about these options.

Note: For matters outside the USOPC/NGB jurisdiction, such as those handled by an International Federation, U.S. Anti-doping Agency or the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the Office of the Athlete Ombuds can assist athletes in understanding rights, resources, processes and options. Learn more about these matters here.