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§3A-301.
§3A-301.
A. As used in this act:
1. "Amateur athlete" means any athlete who meets the eligibility
standards established by the national governing body for the sport in
which the athlete competes;
2. "Amateur athletic competition" means a contest, game, meet, match,
tournament, regatta, or other event in which amateur athletes compete;
3. "Amateur sports organization" means a not-for-profit corporation,
club, federation, union, association, or other group organized in the
United States or the State of Oklahoma which sponsors or arranges any
amateur athletic competition;
4. "Corporation" means the United States Olympic Corporation;
5. "National governing body" means an amateur sports organization
which is recognized by the Corporation in accordance with Section 391
of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, 36 U.S.C., Section 371 et seq.; and
6. "Sanction" means a certificate of approval issued by a national
governing body.
B. The provision of this section shall apply to those amateur sports
organizations that have been or are currently seeking recognition,
sanction, associate membership, affiliate membership or full
membership of the national governing body for the sport in which the
athletes or teams compete.
C. All public or private schools affiliated with the Oklahoma
Secondary Schools Activities Association (OSSAA) which sponsors or
conducts amateur athletes or athletic competition shall not be
considered an amateur sports organization under the provisions of this
section, provided however such schools shall comply with the OSSAA
guidelines concerning discriminatory practices against amateur
athletes.
D. All public and private organizations or religious-based
organizations or individuals who sponsor, support or conduct an
amateur sports organization or athletic competition that is not
officially sanctioned or is not seeking sanction as a full, affiliate
or associate member of the national governing body for the sport being
played, as defined by Section 373 of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978,
36 U.S.C., Section 371 et seq., shall not be subject to this section
and shall have exclusive jurisdiction over such competition and shall
be entitled to establish eligibility standards, provided however those
standards do not conflict with federal or state law or established
standards set by a governing body for which the organization or
individual may seek affiliation or membership at the local, state or
regional level.
E. All amateur sports organizations shall follow the eligibility
standards established by the national governing body for the sport in
which the athlete competes and shall:
1. Demonstrate that its membership is open to all individual amateur
athletes, teams, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators or
officials who seek membership, and to all amateur sports organizations
which conduct programs in the sport for which membership is sought;
2. Provide an equal opportunity to all amateur athletes, teams,
coaches, trainers, managers, administrators and officials to
participate in amateur athletic competition without discrimination on
the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, geographical boundaries
or national origin; and to provide fair notice and an opportunity for
hearing to any amateur athlete, team, coach, trainer, manager,
administrator or official before determining that such individual or
team is ineligible to participate;
3. Not have eligibility criteria relating to amateur status which are
more restrictive than those of the appropriate international sports
federation;
4. Provide equitable support and encouragement to women for
participation in athletic competition where separate programs for male
and female athletes are conducted on a statewide basis;
5. Encourage and support amateur athletic sports programs for
handicapped individuals in amateur athletic activity including, where
feasible, expanding the opportunities for meaningful participation by
handicapped individuals in athletic competition for able-bodied
individuals; and
6. Encourage and provide assistance to amateur athletes of racial and
ethnic minorities for the purpose of eliciting the participation of
such minorities in amateur athletic activities in which they are
underrepresented.
F. All amateur athletes or teams who are members of an amateur sports
organization shall not be restricted from playing either recreational
or competitive sports due to race, color, religion, age, sex,
geographical boundaries or national origin.
G. Any person, officer or amateur sports organization, as defined by
the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, 36 U.S.C., Section 373 and by the
provisions of this section, knowingly violating the provisions of
subsection F of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and,
upon conviction, shall be imprisoned in the county jail for not more
than six (6) months or fined not more than Five Hundred Dollars
($500.00), or both such fine and imprisonment; and knowing violation
of any of the provisions of this section may subject such persons or
organization to civil penalties.
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