Title 36, Patriotic and National ObservancesRelease 119-102

§220512 Complete Teams

Title 36 › Subtitle II — Patriotic and National Organizations › Part B — Organizations › CHAPTER 2205 — UNITED STATES OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE › SUBCHAPTER I — CORPORATION › § 220512

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

For any event at the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan‑American, or Parapan American Games, the corporation can pick athletes who have not met the usual eligibility rules if there are not enough eligible athletes to fill the team. The corporation can make those picks itself or let the appropriate national governing body do it. The corporation does not have to pick ineligible athletes, even if that means the team stays incomplete.

Full Legal Text

Title 36, §220512

Patriotic and National Observances, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In obtaining representation for the United States in each competition and event of the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan-American Games, and Parapan American Games, the corporation, either directly or by delegation to the appropriate national governing body, may select, but is not obligated to select (even if not selecting will result in an incomplete team for an event), athletes who have not met the eligibility standard of the national governing body and the corporation when the number of athletes who have met the eligibility standards of such entities is insufficient to fill the roster for an event.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2020—Pub. L. 116–189 substituted “Pan-American Games, and Parapan American Games” for “and Pan-American Games” and struck out “or paralympic sports organization” after “appropriate national governing body”. 2006—Pub. L. 109–284 substituted “and the corporation” for “and the Corporation”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

36 U.S.C. § 220512

Title 36, Patriotic and National Observances

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102