Paralympic Update 1
Paralympic Working Group Update Background To combat noted issues within governance and promote consistency across the movement, the AAC and Paralympic leadership commissioned the Paralympic governance group to examine governance across U.S. Paralympics and make recommendations aimed at improving current practices. Purpose This group was assembled to explore governance for all Paralympic sports and propose best practices in alignment with the TSOSA. Recommendations Four (4) recommendations were presented to the USOC Board of Directors in December and approved. 2
Committee Members Name Rick Adams Jessica Cloy Beth Curry Amanda Duke Katie Holloway Emily Jensen Gary Johansen Sarah Konrad Ian Lawless Chad Sunderland Kacie Wallace Affiliation U.S. Paralympics Paralympian, AAC Vice Chair HPMO Lakeshore NGB USA Triathlon Paralympian, AAC USOC NGB Organizational Development USOC Governance & Legal Olympian, AAC Chair U.S. Paralympics Cycling USOC Strategic Planning USOC Athlete Ombudsman 3
Paralympic Governance Structure Group 1 - Paralympic Sport Organizations Externally governed/managed Group 2 National Governing Body NGB governed/managed Group 3 - National Governing Body USOC governed/ngb managed Group 4 High Performance Management Organization USOC governed/externally managed Group 5 - USOC USOC governed/managed Canoe Archery Boccia Athletics Curling Badminton [2020] Goalball Cycling Equestrian Judo Powerlifting Skiing Alpine & Snowboard Fencing Rowing Wheelchair Basketball Skiing Nordic & Biathlon Sailing Soccer Wheelchair Rugby Swimming Shooting Table Tennis Sled Hockey* Taekwondo [2020] Triathlon Sitting Volleyball Wheelchair Tennis 4
Recommendation #1 Transition all interested USOC-governed/NGB-managed sport organizations to the NGB-governed/NGB-managed governance model. Timeline: Jan. 15-Nov. 15, 2016: Accept participating NGB requests to govern Paralympic sport applications on a rolling basis; once applications are received, the USOC s membership working group will review and make recommendations to the USOC CEO, who will ultimately bring them forth to the USOC board for approval. NGBs affected USA Archery, USA Badminton, USA Judo, US Rowing, US Soccer, USA Table Tennis, USA Taekwondo 5
Recommendation #2 Create a formal pathway for transitioning interested High Performance Management Organizations to become Paralympic Sport Organizations. Pathway Single-sport Paralympic organizations (Boccia and Wheelchair Basketball) Complete the PSO membership application and compliance report and submit to the USOC s membership working group for review. Ensure bylaws are compliant with USOC standards. Multi-sport Paralympic organizations (Goalball, Powerlifting and Wheelchair Rugby) Establish an independent 501(c)(3) organization to govern the Paralympic sport. Incorporate the existing entity (United States Association of Blind Athletes, University of Central Oklahoma, Lakeshore Foundation) as the organization s sole member. Ensure bylaws are compliant with USOC standards. Complete the USOC membership application and compliance report for PSOs and submit to the USOC s membership working group for review. 6
Recommendation #3 Add the requirement within annual Performance Partnership Agreements that each sport organization must establish a designated Paralympic committee to craft and approve selection procedures and to serve in an advisory capacity for high performance planning Timeline March 1, 2016: Begin conversation with USOC legal, USOC chief of sport performance and USOC chief of Paralympic sport to create and adopt language into 2017 PPA agreements. Summer 2016: Begin circulating PPAs to winter NGBs for signature. Fall 2016: Begin circulating PPAs to summer NGBs for signature. Jan. 1, 2017: Following receipt of signed contracts, PPA compliance begins. Committee composition The group must be comprised of at least three members. Membership should include a combination of coaching staff, high performance staff and at least 20% athlete representation. Athlete representation Representatives must meet the eligibility standards outlined in the USOC bylaws and must be least 20% athlete representation elected by eligible athletes. 7
Recommendation #4 Expand the Paralympic governance group s role to that of an ongoing formal working group as recognized by the PAC and USOC board through 2016 and the following quad (2017-20). Timeline: Identify formalized group composition by Jan. 15, 2016, and continue through the next quad (2017-20). 8
Paralympic Representation on the AAC 9
Bylaws SECTION 2A (PAGE 1) Reason for Change: To allow for representation of all Olympic and Paralympic athletes on the AAC. 10
Current Wording II. ELECTION TO THE USOC ATHLETES ADVISORY COUNCIL CURRENT WORDING: A. The Athletes Advisory Council ( AAC ) is composed of one representative from each Olympic and Pan American sport elected from the National Governing Body ( NGB ) of each sport ( Representative ), or the Representative s alternate ( Alternate ); eight (8) Paralympic representatives (six from summer sports and two from winter sports) (each a Representative ) elected by procedures established by U.S. Paralympics ( USP ); and the six (6) At-Large members elected by the AAC. An athlete from the IOC Athletes' Commission and an athlete from the IPC Athletes Commission shall be ex officio members of the AAC, entitled to voice and vote. 11
Current Paralympic Representation Eight (8) Paralympic representatives Six reps from summer sports Two reps from winter sports Summer Rep 1: Athletics (U.S. Paralympics) Rep 2: Cycling (U.S. Paralympics) Rep 3: Swimming (U.S. Paralympics) Rep 4: Summer team sports (NGBs & HPMOs) Rep 5 & 6: All other summer sports (NGBs & HPMOs) Winter Rep 1: Skiing (U.S. Paralympics) Rep 2: Curling & sled hockey (NGBs) 12
Proposed Wording II. ELECTION TO THE USOC ATHLETES ADVISORY COUNCIL CURRENT WORDING: A. The Athletes Advisory Council ( AAC ) is composed of one representative from each National Governing Body ( NGB ), Paralympic Sport Organization ( PSO ), or High Performance Management Organization ( HPMO ) elected from the NGB/PSO/HPMO of each sport; one representative from each USOC-managed Paralympic sport elected from the management program; three (3) Paralympic representatives from NGB-managed sports (one from team sports and two from individual sports) (each a Representative ) elected by procedures established by U.S. Paralympics; and the six (6) At-Large members elected by the AAC. An athlete from the IOC Athletes' Commission and an athlete from the IPC Athletes Commission shall be ex officio members of the AAC, entitled to voice and vote. 13