Team USA Athletes' Commission Governance
Team USA Athletes' Commission
Team USA AC Representative Elections
Team USA AC Election Webinar
As we gear up for next quad’s Team USA Athletes’ Commission elections we wanted to make the process as easy as possible for all of you We have developed a comprehensive Election Toolkit geared at providing all the information needed to run our elections. The toolkit features eligibility requirements, timeline and process, tips on how to prepare ahead of time, best practices, communication templates, and more resources.
This webinar was held 6/13/24 and walked NGB/IMS staff through the toolkit and the key requirements set out in our Bylaws, and Members Election and Voting Policy as well as be an opportunity for Team USA AC staff to answer questions.
To acces the webinar: Click Here
Team USA AC Leadership Elections
APPLY NOW!!
The nomination period to run for Team USA Athletes Commission (Team USA AC) Leadership is open from Aug 1- Aug 29th. If you are interested in applying, you will need to fill out the application by clicking here.
If you have any questions about the election process, please reach out to Meryl.Fishler@teamusa-ac.org.
Leadership Election Announcement
Team USA AC, formerly the USOPC Athletes’ Advisory Council (“AAC”), serves as the representative group and voice of Team USA athletes. Team USA AC is responsible for broadening communication between the USOPC and active athletes and serves as a source of input and advice to the USOPC board of directors. The Team USA AC consists of at least one athlete from each National Governing Body ("NGB") in which the United States is represented at the Olympic and Pan American Games, one athlete from Sports on the program at Delegation events that are governed and managed by the USOPC, six athletes representing the Paralympic Sport Organizations or NGBs designated to govern a Paralympic sport, and seven athletes elected to serve on leadership by the Team USA AC, four serve at-large, two vice chairs and one chair.
Eligibility Requirements
Team USA AC athletes are eligible to run for Leadership if they meet the below eligibility requirements:
Class A: All individuals must have previously served as a Representative or Alternate. Six members of Leadership are designated Class A.
Or
Class B: One member of Leadership is designated Class B. The individual must have previously served as an athlete representative on an NGB AAC, IMS Athlete Advisory Group (AAG), an International Federation Athletes’ Commission, the World Anti-Doping Agency Athletes’ Commission, IOC Athletes’ Commission, IPC Athletes’ Commission or was appointed to a USOPC working group, taskforce or committee as an athlete representative by Team USA AC.
Click here for more information on Team USA AC. Below are more specifics on the role and duties of Leadership and being an elected member of the Leadership team.
General Powers and Duties of Leadership
Guide and ensure effective communication between the AC, its members and the USOPC.
Hire and supervise the AC Executive Director
Have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the AC, in accordance with the Bylaws regarding Approval of Actions and Elections
Appoint all AAC Standing Committees in accordance with Article X, of the TEam USA AC Bylaws
Select a member of the USOPA/AAC Joint Nominating Committee in accordance with Article X. Section 5 of the Team USA AC Bylaws
Be responsible for maintaining the AC Bylaws, keeping the AC accountable to its Bylaws, and interpreting the Bylaws as necessary
Manage the budget, business, and affairs of the AC
Set policy for the AC.
Individual Leadership Responsibilities:
Participate in:
Bi-Monthly leadership meetings (1-2 hour virtual)
Quarterly pre and post USOPC BOD Meetings with BOD Athlete Directors (1 hour virtual)
AC Monthly Meetings (1 hour virtual)
AC Full Body Meetings 2-3 times a year
Respond in a timely manner to staff requests and questions on the AC Leadership Slack Channel
Must use their AC assigned email communications for all AAC work and have access to a computer/tablet that will allow them to probably provide the necessary tasks of leadership including providing document feedback, reviewing meetings votes, etc.
Serve to guide and ensure effective communication between the AC, members and the USOPC
Represent the AC in other USOPC Committees, Working Groups and task forces, including attending meetings and providing written and verbal reports to the AAC as required
Leadership members may be asked to attend other meetings which are of interest for the AC and athletes in general
Election Process & Timeline:
- By July 1. The Team USA AC Staff shall distribute the Team USA AC Leadership Election process to Team USA AC Members and Alternates, along with the AAC (Team USA AC) Bylaws and Policies, and make a reasonable effort to notify past Team USA AC Members and Alternates and athletes who might be eligible. The process shall also be posted on the Team USA AC website as Leadership eligibility does not require current service in AC.
By August 1. Team USA AC staff should call for self-nominations from any eligible candidate. Nominations should minimally include a written statement of intent and may include a resume or any other information pertaining to an athlete’s ability to serve the Mission of the Team USA AC as a Leader.
By September 1. Team USA AC Staff should distribute the list of eligible nominees, along with statements of intent and other candidate submissions, disclosures, and voting instructions to all Members.
During Assembly in November the election will be conducted where the top candidates with the most votes are named to the Leadership.
Code of Conduct and Standards and Conflicts of Interest Policy. Each Member must comply with the USOPC Code of Conduct and Standards of the AAC and the USOPC Conflicts of Interest Policy throughout the tenure of their term.
If you have any questions about the election process, please reach out to Meryl.Fishler@teamusa-ac.org.
Additional Eligibility Requirements
An individual is ineligible to run for election if they have:
A felony conviction for sexual abuse or assault of any kind;
A felony conviction for a hate crime;
A conviction for another crime of fraud or moral turpitude, within the previous 15 years Committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the World Anti-Doping Code, which resulted in a sanction that included any period of ineligibility; or
Served a period of ineligibility for a SafeSport Code violation as defined by the U.S. Center for SafeSport or NGB.
Individual running for election must disclose any actual, possible, or perceived conflict of interest consistent with their NGB’s Conflicts of Interest Policy or other applicable policies or the USOPC Ethics and Compliance team for internally managed sorts (IMS), which shall determine whether the individual is eligible to run for election. (See USOPC Conflicts of Interest Policy for definitions and examples of conflicts of interest.). The disclosure shall be made to all eligible voters prior to the vote so that the disclosure may be considered in the voting process. Failure to disclose in advance of the election can be cause for the removal of the member once elected.
Other Information
Term: January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2028
Preferred Skills:
An interest and experience in sport governance and athlete advocacy
Great understanding of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement and how athlete representation fits into the system
Strong reading comprehension skills
Strong communication skills
The ability to keep an open mind and listen to all opinions
Detail oriented
Stipend: Each member of leadership will receive a stipend for serving in their capacity and being actively involved. 25% of the allocated Leadership stipend per each calendar year will go to the Chair and the other members of Leadership will equally split the remaining 75%.
Resources for NGB/IMS Internal AAC/AAG
Below are a list of resources that can assist in the governance of a National Governing Body Internal Athlete Advisory Council (AAC) or an Internally Managed Sport Athlete Advisory Group (AAG)