Title 36, Patriotic and National ObservancesRelease 119-110

§220526 Restricted Amateur Athletic Competitions

Title 36 › Subtitle II — Patriotic and National Organizations › Part B — Organizations › CHAPTER 2205 — UNITED STATES OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE › SUBCHAPTER II — NATIONAL GOVERNING BODIES › § 220526

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

An amateur sports group that runs events only for a specific class of athletes — for example, high school students, college students, members of the Armed Forces, or similar groups — has sole control over those events. If that group wants to hold international amateur competitions in the United States or sponsor them outside the United States, it must get permission from the sport’s national governing body.

Full Legal Text

Title 36, §220526

Patriotic and National Observances, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Exclusive Jurisdiction.—
An amateur sports organization that conducts amateur athletic competition shall have exclusive jurisdiction over that competition if participation is restricted to a specific class of amateur athletes, such as high school students, college students, members of the Armed Forces, or similar groups or categories.
(b)Sanctions for International Competition.—
An amateur sports organization under subsection (a) of this section shall obtain a sanction from the appropriate national governing body if the organization wishes to—
(1)conduct international amateur athletic competition in the United States; or
(2)sponsor international amateur athletic competition to be held outside the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 220526(a)36:396 (1st sentence).Sept. 21, 1950, ch. 975, title II, § 206, as added Nov. 8, 1978, Pub. L. 95–606, § 2, 92 Stat. 3058. 220526(b)36:396 (last sentence).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

36 U.S.C. § 220526

Title 36, Patriotic and National Observances

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110