USATF / Olympic Trials COVID-19 Protocols Subject to change, Last updated 5/12/2021
The USOPC’s U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Trials Participant Rules – Commercial Markings ensure that the priority of sport is central to the Trials events, and that the connection between USOPC sponsors and the Trials is retained. This document provides a high-level overview of the commercial rules for athletes at the Trials events. As a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee event, the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon, Race Walk, and Track & Field are subject to IOC and USOPC advertising regulations for athletes’ apparel and uniforms. As required by the USOPC:
No form of publicity, advertising, branding, or promotion may appear on a person’s body, clothing or equipment used by Participants in the entire venue at the Trials. With the exception of standard manufacturers' equipment identification permitted by the USOPC (or the Manufacturer Identification permitted by the rules of thee NGB’s International Federation (IF), and as approved by the USOPC, , the equipment, uniforms and the bibs/numbers of the competitors and officials at the Trials may not bear any commercial identification or promotional material of any kind (whether commercial or noncommercial). Competitor uniforms may bear the name of his or her track club, provided the club is a registered member and in good standing with USA Track & Field by no later than December 31, 2020, and has been approved by the USOPC. All USA Track & Field approved clubs must also remain in good standing through the completion date of the applicable event and are compliant pursuant to USA Track & Field’s SafeSport Handbook. Any violation of the rules may result in disqualification.
For the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon, Race Walk, and Track & Field, these rules are applied as follows (Subject to change based on IOC/IAAF/USOPC/USATF restrictions): 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials – Track & Field Uniform Guide
Athlete’s clothing, footwear*, accessories and sports equipment* may bear standard manufacturer identification. Must meet the size frequency, and placement rules from the NGB’s International Federation or as approved by the USOPC and cannot be marked for advertising purposes. *All footwear and equipment may carry the identification as generally used on products sold through retail in the six-month period prior to the Trials.
The name/logo of the manufacturer of the attire may be displayed once on the front of the vest. Such display shall be in a rectangular form with a maximum size of 30cm2 and with the lettering a maximum height of 4cm and the total logo a maximum height of 5cm.
The name/logo of the manufacturer of the attire may be displayed once on the front of the bottoms. Such display shall be in a rectangular form with a maximum size of 30cm2 and with the lettering a maximum height of 4cm and the total logo a maximum height of 5cm.
The name/logo of the manufacturer of the attire may be displayed as follows:
OR
A graphic or figurative logo of the manufacturer (not including name or any text) may also be used as a decorative “design mark” once or repeatedly as a strip not exceeding 10cm in width in one of the following positions, provided such use does not, in the opinion of USATF, in its discretion, dominate or unduly detract from the appearance of the garment:
The club name or the club logo may be displayed on the front of the vest/leotard on the right chest. Such display shall be rectangular in shape, with a maximum size of 40cm2 and with the lettering a maximum height of 4cm if printed directly onto the vest/leotard or the size of the patch. The club name may appear on the back of the vest/leotard with the lettering a maximum height of 4cm, and no restriction in width. Club logos which are part of traditional club names and have been registered as such with USATF prior to 1 January 1980 and without relation to a company or product shall remain the size at the time the club was approved and may not be increased. Club logos including a logo or lettering representing a company or product are subject to the dimension as stated under this clause.
The advertising or other identification displayed on tops, t-shirts, sweatshirts and rain jackets must comply with the following requirements, in respect of all competitions (unless otherwise specified). The name/logo of the manufacturer of the attire may be displayed once on the front of the garment. Such display shall be rectangular in shape, with a maximum size of 40cm2 and the lettering a maximum height of 4cm and the total logo a maximum height of 5cm. A graphic or figurative logo of the manufacturer (not including name or any text) may also be used as a decorative “design mark” once or repeatedly as a strip not exceeding 10cm in width in one of the following positions, provided such use does not, in the opinion of USATF, in its discretion, dominate or unduly detract from the appearance of the garment:
Advertising or other identification being displayed on lower body attire (e.g. socks, shorts, tights, but excluding leotards) must comply with the following requirements:
The name/Logo of the Manufacturer of the attire may be displayed once. The maximum size of such display shall be 20cm2, with a maximum height of 4cm. A graphic or figurative logo of the manufacturer (not including name or any text) may also be used as a decorative “design mark” once or repeatedly as a strip not exceeding 10cm in width in one of the following positions, provided such use does not, in the opinion of USATF, in its discretion, dominate or unduly detract from the appearance of the garment:
The name/logo of the manufacturer of the socks may be displayed once on each sock. The maximum size of such display shall be 6cm2, with a maximum height of 3cm. A graphic or figurative logo of the manufacturer (not including name or any text) may also be used on socks as a decorative “design mark” once or repeatedly as a strip not exceeding 5cm in width across the top edge of each sock, provided such use does not, in the opinion of USATF, in its discretion, dominate or unduly detract from the appearance of the socks.
Size restrictions shall not apply to uniforms of colleges, universities, or military units or branches whose names do not include any sponsor identification.
Tuesday, June 15 – Saturday, June 26
Sunday, June 27
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Uniforms will be inspected during credentialing at the Graduate Eugene and during the final clerking process before competition to ensure compliance. Please bring your attention to Rule 40 and Commercial Markings policies for in depth USOPC and IOC uniform regulations. These regulations are subject to change. For any questions, contact events@usatf.org.
The USOPC released updated Trials Commercial Guidelines for 2021, however, due to the short timeline between the publishing of these guidelines and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field, an exception was provided to USA Track & Field. The updated Guidelines will govern the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trails – Track & Field, Marathon, and Race Walk. The 2020 exception read:
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee has recently published updated rules surrounding commercial markings on clothing and sport equipment at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Team Trials events. As you are aware, these rules have come into effect prior to your Trials events. Pursuant to the newly enacted U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Trials Participant Rules – Commercial Markings, the USOPC may grant exceptions to the requirements. As a result of short timeline between the implementation of this rule and the Track & Field Trials, the USOPC is hereby granting an exception to the commercial markings requirements for the Track & Field Trials event, June 18-27. The rules that were in effect for the 2016 U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Team Trials event regarding quantity and size of club logos on uniforms will still be in effect. Of note, the club logo size and quantity will not be limited to the new requirement of 30 square centimeters for uniforms. Additionally, the rule requiring no markings on facemasks other than the NGB mark (which must be 10 square centimeters or smaller) will be in effect for this event.
Updated U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Trials Commercial Guidelines – Participant Rules, FAQ, and Athlete Guidelines