Prospective Authorized Athlete Representatives

Please be advised that the processing of your application (including conducting the mandatory criminal background screening) may take several months.

Approximate Timeline (Dates are subject to change)

Important!

Athlete Representatives are required to be authorized with USA Track & Field (USATF) as an Authorized Athlete Representative if representing U.S. athletes. Authorizations are granted in conjunction with World Athletics and are subject to revocation on an annual basis if the requirements in USATF Regulation 25 are not met. If at any time an individual is not authorized by USATF as an Athlete Representative, said individual shall not be registered as a USATF Authorized Athlete Representative with World Athletics during that same period.

Athlete Representatives must be authorized by World Athletics as well as USATF. USATF will not endorse World Athletics forms, unless and until the applicant has been authorized as an Authorized Athlete Representative by USATF for the current year.

All applications must be received by the date provided on the current application. A current application will be released in the fall of each year and only a current application will be accepted for authorization for the following year. 

For additional information or questions, email agents@usatf.org.

Requirements

The required steps for becoming a USATF Authorized Athlete Representative include the following (also outlined in Regulation 25 of the USATF Governance Handbook):

1. Submit annual application:

   1. The application is released in the fall of each year.

   2. The application will be available on this website and a link will be emailed to everyone on our mailing list as soon as it is released.

   3. A current application is required.

2. Pay the annual application fee/membership dues:

   1. The annual membership dues will be noted on the application released each year.

   2. The application fee and membership dues for the current year are $1,450 (which includes the mandatory preparation course and the required insurance coverage).

   3. Membership benefits include:

      1. Access to USATF’s Competition Rules and Elite Athlete Handbook if applicable

      2. USATF's quarterly Authorized Athlete Representative Newsletter

      3. USATF Authorized Athlete Representative ID Card

      4. Annual USATF membership

      5. Listing in USATF’s Elite Athlete Handbook, if applicable

      6. USA Indoor Championships - Credential, heat sheets and results, shuttle bus access, if applicable

      7. USA Outdoor Championships (or, if applicable, Olympic Trials) - Credential, heat sheet and results, shuttle bus access, if applicable

      8. Other mailings, if applicable

3. Obtain professional liability insurance and/or a fidelity bond:

   1. Pursuant to World Athletics Athlete Regulations and USATF Regulation 25 governing Authorized Athlete Representatives, all USATF authorized Athlete Representatives must maintain a professional liability policy to adequately cover any risks that may arise from an Athlete Representative’s activities.

   2. In an effort to provide a cost effective option for this coverage, USATF has purchased a group professional liability insurance policy in which all USATF Authorized Athlete Representatives are required to participate.

   3. The premium for this policy is included in the annual membership dues.

4. Pass a criminal background screen as directed by USATF:

   1. USATF Authorized Athlete Representatives must renew their criminal background screen online every two (2) years. 
   2. A reportable record or disclosure that contains a disposition or resolution of a criminal proceeding, other than an adjudication of not guilty, or the existence of pending charges, for any of the below criminal offenses will “flag” an applicant’s records for further review:
      1. All felonies (any criminal offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one (1) year; no time bar)
      2. Any misdemeanors involving:
         1. All sexual crimes, criminal offenses of a sexual nature to included but not limited to; rape, child molestation, sexual battery, lewd conduct, possession and distribution of child pornography, possession and distribution of obscene material, prostitution, indecent exposure, public indecency, and any sex offender registrant (any Participant that has been convicted of, received an imposition of a deferred sentence for, or any plea of guilty or no contest for any sexual crime, criminal offense of a sexual nature, and/or is a sex offender registrant must be reported to the U.S. Center for SafeSport);
         2. Any drug related offenses;
         3. Harm to a minor, including, but not limited to, offenses such as child abandonment, child endangerment/neglect/abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and DUI with a minor;
         4. Violence against a person, force, or threat of force (including crimes involving deadly weapons and domestic violence);
         5. Stalking, harassment, blackmail, violation of a protection order and/or threats;
         6. Destruction of property, including arson, vandalism, and criminal mischief; and
         7. Animal abuse, cruelty, or neglect

   3. Convictions for, disclosures of convictions for, and pending dispositions for any of the following crimes, and disclosures for any listed sanctions will prompt a determination that an applicant does not meet the criminal background screening criteria and a red light determination will be issued:

      1. Any felony involving violence against a person within the previous ten (10) years;
      2. Any felony involving violent crimes involving weapons (including armed robbery and aggravated assault with a weapon) within the previous ten (10) years;
      3. Any felony involving animal abuse, cruelty, or neglect;

      4. Any felony or misdemeanor involving all sexual crimes and criminal offenses of a sexual nature to including, but not limited to: rape, child molestation, sexual battery, lewd conduct, possession or distribution of child pornography, possession and distribution of obscene material, and any sex offender registrant (excluding prostitution, indecent exposure, and public indecency);

      5. Any felony or misdemeanor involving drug offenses including:  drug distribution, intent to distribute, manufacturing, trafficking, or sale within the previous 7 years (excluding crimes for drug use or possession); and

      6. Any felony or misdemeanor involving harm to a minor, including, but not limited to: offenses such as child abandonment, child endangerment/neglect/abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, providing alcohol to a minor, and DUI with a minor. 

      7. Any crime involving financial misappropriation including, but not limited to, embezzlement, fraud, extortion, and theft within the last ten (10) years.

      8. Any individual that discloses that they are not in good standing (sanctioned) with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

5. SafeSport:

   1. In order to be authorized as an Athlete Representative, you must complete and be current in the U.S. Center for SafeSport training courses.

   2. For the safety of our athletes, particularly our youth athletes, USATF has committed to providing a safe environment in which our athletes compete and train. We believe this is paramount to the success of all our programs. All USATF National Staff, Board Members, Youth Committee members, registered agents, coaches on the Coaches Registry, youth club coaches and youth club administrators, and others are required to complete the U.S. Center for SafeSport course.

   3. Access your USATF Connect account to begin the process.

6. Attend at least one (1) USATF Authorized Athlete Representative educational seminar each year: 

   1. Beginning with the year preceding your first year of authorization.

   2. There are NO exceptions to this requirement. Whether you are hoping to be authorized for the first time in the following year, or if you have been authorized for 10 years, you MUST attend a USATF educational seminar every year.

7. Attend the USATF Exam Preparation Course:

   1. If you have not already passed the USATF Exam, you must attend the exam preparation course.

   2. The exam preparation course will be given in conjunction with the USATF Annual Meeting each year (there will not be a separate registration for this course).

8. Pass the World Athletics Exam:

   1. Every applicant must pass the World Athletics Exam in order to be authorized as an Athlete Representative, unless otherwise exempt.

   2. World Athletics has sole control over the dates this exam is offered.

   3. Once an applicant has passed the World Athletics Exam, there is no need to take the Exam again unless authorization has lapsed. After such time, World Athletics may require that the applicant take and pass the World Athletics Exam again.

   4. Additional details about the exam will be provided to new applicants once a completed application is received.

   5. Additional information about the World Athletics Exam can be found here.

9. Pass the USATF Authorized Athlete Representative Exam:

   1. This Exam is only given in conjunction with the USATF Annual Meeting each year.

   2. Once a date is set for the exam, USATF will post the date on this website and email the details to those individuals on USATF’s prospective Authorized Athlete Representative mailing list.

   3. Once an applicant has passed the USATF Authorized Athlete Representative Exam, there is no need to take the Exam again unless authorization has lapsed. After such time, USATF may require that the applicant take and pass the USATF Authorized Athlete Representative Exam again.

   4. Additional details about the Exam will be provided to new applicants once a completed application is received.

   5. Additional information about the USATF Authorized Athlete Representative Exam can be found here.

10. Must maintain World Athletics Authorization at all times:

    1. It is the responsibility of Authorized Athlete Representatives to abide by all World Athletics policies and procedures, including World Athletics Athletes' Representative Regulations, in order to maintain World Athletics Authorization at all times.