Policy Name: Gender Competition Policy
Effective Date: Immediately
Policy Owner: General Counsel
Applies to: All USA Volleyball Members and USAV Athletes
Purpose:
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (“USOPC”) directed all National Governing Bodies, including USA Volleyball to align athlete safety policies with a federal executive order. This policy shall guide all USA Volleyball (“USAV”) member athletes regarding participation by gender in USAV sanctioned events or activities.
Policy Statement:
USAV athlete members are expected to participate or compete in all USAV sanctioned events or activities as a member of the gender assigned at the time of birth on their birth certificate.
Application:
USAV athlete gender selection is made at the time of the USAV membership purchase, and it is captured in the member’s Profile as well as in the USAV Verified/Membership information section. The USAV member Profile does not determine eligibility to participate in USAV sanctioned events or activities. The available gender options are male, female, and non-binary.
While the USAV athlete can change their Profile gender at any time, only USAV and Region administrators can change the USAV Verified/Membership gender. The USAV Verified/Membership gender is considered the competition gender. USAV Verified/Membership gender has not officially been verified.
- Non-Binary
- If a USAV athlete/USAV member identifies as and selects “non-binary” as their Profile gender, and the USAV athlete/USAV member is participating in a competition that only offers competition categories of male or female, the Region or USAV must work with the athlete to determine their competition gender based upon their gender assigned at birth and update the USAV Verified/Membership gender to male or female accordingly. The USAV athlete/USAV member will be unable to roster for events until the USAV Verified/Membership gender is selected. The USAV Verified/Membership gender will remain the determined gender for the remainder of the volleyball season. USAV Athletes/USAV members are not permitted to change genders within a single season once the USAV Verified/Membership declaration has been made.
- The USAV Member Services team provides a list of those who select “non-binary” as their gender to the USAV Legal department for purposes of documentation.
International Competition:
An USAV athlete/USAV member qualifying for any competition or event where the International Olympic Committee’s policies apply or to an international competition involving the USA National Teams should adhere to those policies. This may include, without limitation: (i) USA Volleyball National Team competitions or events, and (ii) competitions or events operated or sanctioned by FIVB, the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee or World Para Volley, whether involving beach, indoor or sitting disciplines.
Anti-Doping Policy:
All anti-doping policies remain in force. Violation of any anti-doping policies, protocols or procedures as defined by the International Olympic Committee (IOC; www.olympic.org), World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA; www.wada-ama.org), Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB; www.fivb.org), US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA; www.usada.org) or the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC; www.teamusa.org). Violations of this provision will be adjudicated only by USADA or the proper anti-doping authority, not USAV.
Anti-Retaliation:
Abuse, harassment, and/or harmful acts towards any USAV athlete/USAV member, including those of the transgender and nonbinary community will not be tolerated. No individual with the USAV Organization who, in good faith, reports a violation of any USAV policy shall be subject to retaliation, including, harassed, threatened, discriminated against, demoted, discharged or subjected to other forms of retaliation or other adverse consequences associated with the reporting.
Per the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (the “Act”), retaliation means any adverse or discriminatory action, or the threat of an adverse or discriminatory action, including removal from a training facility, reduced coaching or training, reduced meals or housing, and removal from competition, carried out against a protected individual as a result of any communication, including the filing of a formal complaint, by the protected individual or a parent or legal guardian of the protected individual relating to the allegation of physical abuse, sexual harassment, or emotional abuse, with: (1) the U.S. Center for SafeSport; (2) a coach, trainer, manager, administrator, or official associated with USAV; (3) the Attorney General; (4) a Federal or State law enforcement authority; (5) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; or (6) Congress.
Contact:
Rachael Stafford, General Counsel, may be contacted at [email protected] or by postage at 4065 Sinton Road, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
FAQ
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) directed every National Governing Body, including USA Volleyball, to align athlete safety policies with a federal executive order. Our update brings USA Volleyball into compliance.
Immediately. It shall remain be in effect for the 2025-2026 volleyball season and until such time as it may be modified. All USA Volleyball sanctioned events and activities shall fall under this policy. This policy affects an individual’s ability to roster for USA Volleyball sanctioned events and activities.
All sanctioned domestic events — national, regional, and local — must follow this policy.
USAV athletes who participate in international competitions must comply with any policies or rules in place by the applicable international competition body, which may differ from USA Volleyball’s policy.
All anti-doping policies remain in force per the USAV Code of Conduct.