As previously communicated to all USA Swimming members, in order to comply with U.S. Center for SafeSport requirements, the USA Swimming Board of Directors approved expanding Corporate Bylaw 2.6.6, which set forth those who must be non-athlete members of USA Swimming. This expansion included requiring meet marshals be registered non-athlete members of USA Swimming effective January 1, 2022. 

Specifically in reference to requiring non-athlete membership of meet marshals, USA Swimming received a significant amount of member feedback. As a result of that feedback, USA Swimming requested a specific review from the Center regarding the role of a meet marshal and whether it meets the threshold of a volunteer who interacts directly and frequently with athletes or has authority over athletes as a regular part of their duties. We recently received confirmation from the Center that the role of a meet marshal does not rise to the level of contact with or authority over athletes significant enough to require non-athlete membership of these volunteers. The Board of Directors acted quickly to approve amending Corporate Bylaw 2.6.6 to remove the requirement for meet marshals to register as non-athlete members of USA Swimming. Concurrently, the Operational Risk Committee has worked to standardize the role of a meet marshal and developed Meet Marshal Standards. The Committee has also developed a standard meet marshal training program, which will be released in 2022 

Please note, this change is only in reference to meet marshals, and all other communicated categories will still be required to become non-athlete members of USA Swimming no later than January 1, 2022. These individuals include:

• Adult employees of USA Swimming, Local Swimming Committees (LSCs) and member clubs;

• Adults serving on the board of directors of USA Swimming, LSCs and member clubs;

• Individuals in a position of oversight over the operations of a member club;

• Adults with an ownership interest in a member club;

• Referees, starters, administrative officials, chief judges, as well as stroke and turn judges; and

• Other volunteers who interact directly and frequently with or have authority over athletes (as defined in the SafeSport Code for the Olympic and Paralympic Movement) as a regular part of their duties.

Thank you for your continued support to make USA Swimming the best-in-class organization it is today. For further questions, please reach out to safesport@usaswimming.org.