USA Ultimate Officially Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee

Joins Esteemed List of USOC Members as Recognized Sports Organization

Boulder, Colo. (June 25, 2014)—USA Ultimate has become a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as a Recognized Sport Organization. The formal recognition was granted June 10 at the USOC Board of Directors meeting in Boston.

As a USOC Recognized Sport Organization, USA Ultimate joins the USOC’s Multisport Organization’s Council, an esteemed list of community, education and sport-based member institutions such as the NCAA, YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, AAU, Special Olympics, Disabled Sports USA, the National Federation of State High School Associations and the National Congress of State Games. Like these organizations, USA Ultimate was admitted as a member of the USOC to help facilitate a national interest in sport and for its ability and potential to increase opportunities for participation and competition, internationally, nationally, and at the grassroots level – the mission of the USOC’s multi-sport organizations.

"The USOC is one of the pre-eminent organizations in all of sport and we are very proud of this relationship," commented Mike Payne, USA Ultimate Board of Directors President. "This is one of the most important things to happen to our great sport in its 46-year history and further validates ultimate as one of the nation’s emerging sports."

USA Ultimate spent more than two years engaged in a very rigorous application process, aligning itself with the requirements of the USOC in order to be the Recognized Sport Organization for all disciplines of the sport of ultimate, including grass, beach and indoor, in the United States.

"We’re excited to welcome USA Ultimate as the newest member of the USOC," said Rick Adams, USOC Chief of Sport Operations and NGB Relations. "USA Ultimate delivers world-class experiences for its members and we’re eager to see the sport continue to grow as a member of the Olympic family."



The recognition gives USA Ultimate an unprecedented opportunity to promote the sport within and alongside other USOC members and represents an important step in the evolution of ultimate.

"Most people I speak with in ultimate believe that we pursued this recognition with only the goal of being an Olympic sport in mind, and that couldn’t be further from the truth," continued Payne. "When and if that ever happens, it will be great, but the more important benefits are the visibility that being a proud member of the USOC brings and the programs the USOC members provide to help accelerate growth of the sport from the bottom up, starting with kids."

USOC recognition is the latest in a long line of recent noteworthy achievements for the sport of ultimate and its national organization. A year ago the sport’s international federation, the World Flying Disc Federation , was granted recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 2013, USA Ultimate also secured a multi-year broadcast agreement with ESPN to cover its college championships and Triple Crown Tour. The U.S. National Team also posted a perfect 36-0 record in international competition last season, bringing home three gold medals from the U23 world championships and winning the World Games en route to being voted "Team of the Year" by the international sporting community.

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