Q: I want to hold a foreign sanctioned event at my gym. Where do I begin?
A: The first step of submitting a foreign sanction is for a foreign country to contact a United States club with an interest in having an interclub meet.

Q: Can I register for a sanction online?
A: No, foreign sanction request can only submitted via mail or fax.

Q: What are the eligibility requirements for a person to be a meet director of a foreign sanctioned event?
A: The same meet director eligibility requirements are the same for both domestic and foreign sanctions. In order to be a meet director of a sanctioned event, the person must be a current USA Gymnastics Professional member with all of the membership requirements fulfilled, (background check and safety/risk management certification), as well as the appropriate discipline level for the sanction event requested. Example: a men’s sanctioned event, must have a meet director that is a current Professional member with the Men’s discipline. Please note: For those Professional members requesting sanctions for Women’s, Trampoline and Tumbling or Acrobatic meets, they must also already have or complete the meet director exams for those disciplines. Example: a Women’s sanction event must have a meet director that is a current Professional member, with the Women’s discipline and the Women’s meet director certification.

Q: What are the foreign sanction fees and submission deadlines?
A: Foreign sanction fee is $300. All foreign sanction requests MUST be received by the USA Gymnastics National Office at least 120 days prior to the event start date. Please note: There is an additional $25 fee for countries submitted after the original sanction request has been placed.

Q: Why do foreign sanction request require at submission at least 120 days before competition?
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, a request for foreign sanction form must be submitted via fax or mail with the along with the additional payment.

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 $25/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 on July 31st, 2009.

Q: Where can I obtain the foreign athletes member number for my foreign sanctioned event?
A: Foreign athlete, coaches, judges member numbers will be mailed/faxed 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 and pay the additional fees?
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.

Q: Can a Foreign Instructor member take part in a sanctioned event.
A: No, similar to the Instructor membership, Foreign Instructor membership does not allow access to the floor of any sanction event, domestic or foreign. This membership will allow the member to take USA Gymnastics University courses at the member rate.

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

USA Gymnastics Member Services Department
Phone Hours: Monday 12:30pm-5:30pm eastern standard time
Tuesday – Friday 8:30am-5:30pm eastern standard time
1-800-345-4719 toll free
membership@usa-gymnastics.org