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Foreign Sanction Procedures and Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I register for a sanction online?
A: Yes, the meet director of the event may submit the sanction request online. Instructions can be found here.

Q: What are the eligibility requirements for a person to be a meet director of a foreign sanctioned event?
A: In order to be a meet director of a sanctioned event you need to have the following: Q: What are the foreign sanction fees and submission deadlines?
A: Foreign sanction fee is $250. All foreign sanction requests MUST be received by the USA Gymnastics National Office at least 3 weeks prior to the event start date.

Q: Why do foreign sanction request require at submission at least 3 weeks before the competition begins?
A: In order to allow sufficient correspondence time between USA Gymnastics and the different countries that have been invited gymnastics federations. The USA Gymnastics National Office is required to send written correspondence to each countries gymnastics federation in order to receive approval. Example: Canada has been listed on a foreign sanction request. USA Gymnastics must send written correspondence to the Canadian Gymnastics Federation requesting approval for the Canadian athletes to compete in a USA Gymnastics sanctioned event. USA Gymnastics must allow 11 business days for the country to respond to said request. Once a response has been received, or if the said country has not responded in 11 business the days, the foreign sanction will be released and the club can proceed to invite the requested countries to the sanctioned event.

Q: Can I change my domestic sanction to a foreign sanction?
A: Yes, you can change your sanction to include foreign participants by editing your sanction through your sanction detail page and selecting the checkbox that the event involves athletes from another country. No additional fee will be charged to change a domestic sanction to a foreign.

Q: What are the requirements of the foreign coaches, athletes that will be attending the foreign sanctioned event?
A: Everyone that attends a USA Gymnastics sanctioned event must have the appropriate USA Gymnastics membership. For those attending from a foreign country they must submit a "Foreign Athletes, Coaches and Judges Application form to the USA Gymnastics National office. The cost is $50/per person. Please note: Foreign athletes, coaches and/or judges will not be processed unless a foreign sanction request has been received and approved.

Q: What is the membership expiration date for foreign athlete, coaches and judges?
A: All foreign athlete, coaches or judges memberships expire July 31st of each year.

Q: Where can I obtain the foreign athletes member number for my foreign sanctioned event?
A: Foreign athlete, coaches, judges member numbers will be emailed to the meet director of the foreign sanctioned event.

Q: My club currently is hosting an invitational event that has been sanctioned. We have been contacted by a foreign country with an interest in competing in this meet. Is the club required to invite them and upgrade the domestic sanction to a foreign sanction?
A: No, the club does not have to invite a foreign country to their sanctioned event. But, if they do choose to have foreign athletes compete they MUST upgrade the competition to a foreign sanction.

Please feel free to contact Member Services for any other question or concerns.

USA Gymnastics Member Services Department
Phone Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am-5:00pm eastern standard time
1-800-345-4719
membership@usagym.org