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USOPC Athlete Ombuds Confidentiality and Privacy Policy

Favicon for www.regulations.gov Regs.gov: United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee
Published April 26th, 2021
Detected March 15th, 2026
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Summary

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Office of the Athlete Ombuds has published its confidentiality and privacy policy, as mandated by the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020. This policy outlines the conditions under which information communicated to the Ombuds office will be kept confidential and details exceptions to these rules.

What changed

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Office of the Athlete Ombuds has issued a notice detailing its new confidentiality and privacy policy, as required by the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020. The policy establishes that information communicated to the Ombuds office in confidence will be maintained as confidential, with specific exceptions including disclosures necessary for dispute resolution with party permission, federally mandated reporting, witnessed felonies, imminent risk of serious harm, and congressional subpoenas. The policy also states that ombudsman staff cannot be compelled to testify or produce evidence in judicial or administrative proceedings, and their work product is confidential and not subject to discovery or subpoena.

This policy directly impacts athletes seeking assistance from the Ombuds office by clarifying the scope of confidentiality they can expect. While the policy aims to protect sensitive communications, athletes should be aware of the outlined exceptions. The notice itself does not impose new compliance obligations on external entities but rather formalizes the internal operating procedures of the Athlete Ombuds office. No specific compliance deadline is mentioned as this is an internal policy notice, effective upon publication.

What to do next

  1. Review the published confidentiality and privacy policy for the USOPC Office of the Athlete Ombuds.
  2. Ensure internal understanding of the policy's scope and exceptions, particularly regarding information shared with the Ombuds office.

Source document (simplified)

Content

ACTION:

Notice

SUMMARY:

Congress directed the Office of the Athlete Ombuds to develop and publish in the
Federal Register
, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020,
a confidentiality and privacy policy consistent with statutory guidelines. This Notice contains the policy required by the
statute.

DATES:

This confidentiality and privacy policy notice is effective April 26, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

For information about the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Office of the Athlete Ombuds, visit www.teamusa.org /athlete-ombuds. You may request written materials about the confidentiality and privacy policy by writing to Office of the
Athlete Ombuds, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, 1 Olympic Plaza, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80909.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For specific questions related to this Notice, please contact Kathleen C. Wallace, Athlete Ombuds, at 719-866-2299 or kacie
@usathlete.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On October 30, 2020, Congress enacted the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020 (Pub. L. 116 -189,
134 Stat. 943 (2020)) (the ” Act”), which revised certain duties of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds. Section 6(e) of the
Act, codified in 36 U.S.C. 220509(b)(4)(E), requires that no later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Act, the
Office of the Athlete Ombuds develop and publish in the
Federal Register
a confidentiality and privacy policy consistent with certain statutory guidelines. This Notice contains the confidentiality
and privacy policy required by the Act.

Confidentiality and Privacy Policy

A. In general—The Office of the Athlete Ombuds shall maintain as confidential any information communicated or provided to
the Office of the Athlete Ombuds in confidence in any matter involving the exercise of the official duties of the Office of
the Athlete Ombuds.

B. Exceptions—The Office of the Athlete Ombuds may disclose information described in subparagraph (A) as necessary to resolve
or mediate a dispute, with the permission of the parties involved.

C. Judicial and administrative proceedings.

a. In general—The ombudsman and the staff of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds shall not be compelled to testify or produce
evidence in any judicial or administrative proceeding with respect to any matter involving the

  exercise of the duties of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds.

b. Work product—Any memorandum, work product, notes, or case file of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds—

i. shall be confidential; and

ii. shall not be—

  1. subject to discovery, subpoena, or any other means of legal compulsion; or

  2. admissible as evidence in a judicial or administrative proceeding.

D. Applicability—The confidentiality requirements under this paragraph shall not apply to information relating to—

a. applicable federally mandated reporting requirements;

b. a felony personally witnessed by a member of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds;

c. a situation, communicated to the Office of the Athlete Ombuds, in which an individual is at imminent risk of serious harm;
or

d. a congressional subpoena.

Dated: April 22, 2021. Kathleen C. Wallace, Athlete Ombuds. [FR Doc. 2021-08990 Filed 4-26-21; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE P

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Classification

Agency
US-Fed
Published
April 26th, 2021
Instrument
Notice
Legal weight
Binding
Stage
Final
Change scope
Substantive

Who this affects

Applies to
Athletes
Geographic scope
National (US)

Taxonomy

Primary area
Healthcare
Operational domain
Compliance
Topics
Sports Governance Data Privacy

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