The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) recently announced that USA Skateboarding has relinquished its certification as a national governing body (NGB). The USOPC will assume management of the Olympic skateboarding high-performance program.
Since early 2022, the USOPC has worked with USA Skateboarding to address issues related to governance, compliance, and financial management. Despite numerous discussions and guidance, USA Skateboarding remained unable to remedy ongoing deficiencies, prompting the USOPC to begin decertification proceedings in August 2022.
Rather than face a decertification hearing, USA Skateboarding, and the USOPC agreed to a settlement in December 2022. USA Skateboarding was given three months to fix issues or relinquish certification. During that time, the USOPC provided substantial support and resources to help USA Skateboarding come into compliance. However, USA Skateboarding failed to adequately address issues such as:
•Improper background screening
•An unqualified and vetted board of directors
•Lack of effective conflict of interest policies
•Unsupported financial projections that risked insolvency
• Failure to provide an organizational chart and staff qualifications
On March 15, 2023, the USOPC formally found USA Skateboarding out of compliance. In accordance with the settlement, USA Skateboarding relinquished certification the following day.
The USOPC is working to ensure the transition of the high-performance program is seamless for athletes with no disruption to training and competition. The USOPC has scheduled informational meetings and provided key contacts to address athlete questions and concerns:
Athletes are encouraged to reach out to the USOPC with any questions during this period of transition. The USOPC remains committed to athletes and the sport of skateboarding.
