The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee supports America’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls via a variety of programs for both athletes and their National Governing Bodies. In addition to performance grants and rewards, additional support is provided in the form of training facilities, sports medicine and science, coaching education, health insurance, promotional opportunities, education and career services, outfitting and travel, and safe sport and anti-doping programming.
Investment Strategy
Approximately 82 percent of the USOPC’s budget has a direct impact on its mission of supporting athletes, while 12 percent is used to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for Team USA via marketing and fundraising, and the remaining 6 percent covers the cost of administration. By supporting, empowering and protecting athletes across all stages of development, the USOPC is invested in not only getting athletes to the podium, but also in how they get there and how they transition into life after sport.
Athlete Ombuds
Congress created the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee athlete ombuds in 1998 to ensure athletes are afforded independent counsel on rules and regulations relevant to them through the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act. The USOPC ombud’s office offers cost-free, confidential and independent advice to U.S. athletes regarding their rights to compete at the elite level, and is also charged with mediating disputes involving opportunities to participate at the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American, Parapan American and Youth Olympic Games; world championships and other protected competitions.
Although independent in its ability to advise athletes, the athlete ombudsman is uniquely positioned within the leadership of the USOPC and Athletes’ Advisory Council to advocate for the interests of athletes, while helping navigate communication lines with the USOPC and National Governing Bodies, and mediate conflicts as they arise.