Sanctions and Event Insurance

What is a sanction?

A USATF sanction is an official designation issued by USATF, through a local Association, which approves and licenses the holding of a competitive track & field, long distance running or race walking event in the United States. The sanction is also a contract, which evidences the event's commitment to follow national and international rules and regulations of the sport and to provide a safe environment for the participants and spectators. Once the event has satisfied the sanction requirements, the event's application for sanction is approved.

Sanction Objective: A safe and well managed athletic event.

The sanction is an agreement between an event organizer and USATF to ensure that the event is properly conducted. This includes the requirements for:

Providing appropriate safety and medical precautions to protect the welfare of athletes and spectators
Safeguarding the athletesâ amateur status and eligibility
Compliance with USATF rules (as well as International rules for Elite Sanction events)
Appropriate provisions for validation of records
A Waiver and Assumption of Risk clause in the event application, to be acknowledged and signed by each participant.

Sanction Benefits

General Liability Insurance Coverage. A USATF sanction provides $2,000,000 in general liability insurance coverage. The insurance becomes effective when the sanction is approved and includes most pre-race and post-race activity. The policy covers the event organizer, sponsors, participants, volunteers, facilities, and the community in which the event takes place. The approved copy of the sanction form serves as proof of insurance.
Certificates of Insurance. Requests for certificates of insurance, showing insurance coverage and/or naming a third party as additional insured, should be submitted at least four weeks prior to the event. ALSO: It is recommended that the event organizer request certificate of insurance from its vendors and sponsors, naming the "event organizer" as an additional insured.
Authority within the rules of the sport to pay prize money to participants of the event. NOTE: an Elite Sanction Addendum must be completed for events that offer any one prize of $500 or more (see other restrictions under Sanction Instructions).
Recognition of state and national records.
Protection and certification of athlete eligibility and permission to invite international athletes.
Enforcement of the rules of the sport in dealing with athletes, and support in cases of dispute.
Calendar Promotion in the USATF online calendar, highlighted to distinguish them from non-sanctioned events.
Assistance from your full-time staffed USATF - New England office.

USATF New England sanction fees

There is a national fee covering the insurance, and a local fee which varies by association. The total fee is based on the number of finishers in the event, and needs to be paid up front based on an estimate of the number of finishers. Fees will be refunded if numbers are lower, and must be paid up if estimates were low.
Fees have remained the same for four years, an indication of the attention paid to safety and liability concerns by event directors.
The fees for events sanctioned in the New England Association are as follows:

1-100 finishers:	$65
101-250:	$105
251-500:	$205
501-1000:	$410
1001-2000:	$760
2001-4000:	$1,125
4001-6000:	$2,325
6001-15000:	$4,525
15001 and over:	$7,025

Fees for certificates of insurance

IMPORTANT: a late fee is charged for requests received less than five (5) business days prior to the date needed. Payment is due with request! The late fees are as follows:

$20 per certificate for requests received less than five (5) business days prior to the date needed
$40 per certificate for requests received less than two (2) business days prior to the date needed. Certificates needed in less than 24 hours cannot be guaranteed.

Forms

The most current versions of sanction forms are all found at the New England page at the USATF national website. Please use those forms and not older versions.

Sanction Application	application with instructions, fees, and post-event report
Request for Certificate of Insurance	application with instructions
Elite Athlete Addendum	for events giving out $500 or more for any one prize
Liability Insurance Program	detailed information with FAQs

Search

Find a sanctioned event in the New England Association and elsewhere.

USA Track & Field New England

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