36 U.S.C. § 220504 — Membership

**(a) Eligibility.—** Eligibility for membership in the corporation is as provided in the constitution and bylaws of the corporation, and membership shall be available only to national governing bodies. **(b) Required Provisions for Representation.—** In its constitution and bylaws, the corporation shall establish and maintain provisions with respect to its governance and the conduct of its affairs for reasonable representation of— (1) national governing bodies, including through provisions that establish and maintain a National Governing Bodies’ Council that is composed of representatives of the national governing bodies who are selected by their boards of directors or other governing boards to ensure effective communication between the corporation and the national governing bodies; (2) amateur athletes who are actively engaged in amateur athletic competition or who have represented the United States in international amateur athletic competition, including through provisions that— (A) establish and maintain an Athletes’ Advisory Council; (B) ensure that the chair of the Athletes’ Advisory Council, or the designee of the chair, holds voting power on the board of directors of the corporation and in the committees and entities of the corporation; (C) require that— (i) not less than ⅓ of the membership of the board of directors of the corporation shall be composed of, and elected by, such amateur athletes; and (ii) not less than 20 percent of the membership of the board of directors of the corporation shall be composed of amateur athletes who— (I) are actively engaged in representing the United States in international amateur athletic competition; or (II) have represented the United States in international amateur athletic competition during the preceding 10-year period; and (D) ensure that the membership and voting power held by such amateur athletes is not less than ⅓ of the membership and voting power held in the board of directors of the corporation and in the committees and entities of the corporation, including any panel empowered to resolve grievances; (3) amateur sports organizations that conduct a national program or regular national amateur athletic competition in 2 or more sports that are included on the program of the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, the Pan-American Games, or the Parapan American Games on a level of proficiency appropriate for the selection of amateur athletes to represent the United States in international amateur athletic competition; and (4) individuals not affiliated or associated with any amateur sports organization who, in the corporation’s judgment, represent the interests of the American public in the activities of the corporation. **(c) Conflict of Interest.—** An athlete who represents athletes under subsection (b)(2) shall not be employed by the Center, or serve in a capacity that exercises decision-making authority on behalf of the Center, during the 2-year period beginning on the date on which the athlete ceases such representation. **(d) Certification Requirements.—** The bylaws of the corporation shall include a description of all generally applicable certification requirements for membership in the corporation.