Okla. Stat. tit. 3A, § 3A-301

or membership - Exemptions - Eligibility standards -

Nondiscrimination requirement - Penalties.

A. As used in this act:

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1. "Amateur athlete" means any athlete who meets the

eligibility standards established by the national governing body for

the sport in which the athlete competes;

2. "Amateur athletic competition" means a contest, game, meet,

match, tournament, regatta, or other event in which amateur athletes

compete;

3. "Amateur sports organization" means a not-for-profit

corporation, club, federation, union, association, or other group

organized in the United States or the State of Oklahoma which

sponsors or arranges any amateur athletic competition;

4. "Corporation" means the United States Olympic Corporation;

5. "National governing body" means an amateur sports

organization which is recognized by the Corporation in accordance

with Section 391 of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, 36 U.S.C.,

Section 371 et seq.; and

6. "Sanction" means a certificate of approval issued by a

national governing body.

B. The provision of this section shall apply to those amateur

sports organizations that have been or are currently seeking

recognition, sanction, associate membership, affiliate membership or

full membership of the national governing body for the sport in

which the athletes or teams compete.

C. All public or private schools affiliated with the Oklahoma

Secondary Schools Activities Association (OSSAA) which sponsors or

conducts amateur athletes or athletic competition shall not be

considered an amateur sports organization under the provisions of

this section, provided however such schools shall comply with the

OSSAA guidelines concerning discriminatory practices against amateur

athletes.

D. All public and private organizations or religious-based

organizations or individuals who sponsor, support or conduct an

amateur sports organization or athletic competition that is not

officially sanctioned or is not seeking sanction as a full,

affiliate or associate member of the national governing body for the

sport being played, as defined by Section 373 of the Amateur Sports

Act of 1978, 36 U.S.C., Section 371 et seq., shall not be subject to

this section and shall have exclusive jurisdiction over such

competition and shall be entitled to establish eligibility

standards, provided however those standards do not conflict with

federal or state law or established standards set by a governing

body for which the organization or individual may seek affiliation

or membership at the local, state or regional level.

E. All amateur sports organizations shall follow the

eligibility standards established by the national governing body for

the sport in which the athlete competes and shall:

1. Demonstrate that its membership is open to all individual

amateur athletes, teams, coaches, trainers, managers, administrators

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or officials who seek membership, and to all amateur sports

organizations which conduct programs in the sport for which

membership is sought;

2. Provide an equal opportunity to all amateur athletes, teams,

coaches, trainers, managers, administrators and officials to

participate in amateur athletic competition without discrimination

on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, geographical

boundaries or national origin; and to provide fair notice and an

opportunity for hearing to any amateur athlete, team, coach,

trainer, manager, administrator or official before determining that

such individual or team is ineligible to participate;

3. Not have eligibility criteria relating to amateur status

which are more restrictive than those of the appropriate

international sports federation;

4. Provide equitable support and encouragement to women for

participation in athletic competition where separate programs for
iner, manager, administrator or official before determining that

such individual or team is ineligible to participate;

3. Not have eligibility criteria relating to amateur status

which are more restrictive than those of the appropriate

international sports federation;

4. Provide equitable support and encouragement to women for

participation in athletic competition where separate programs for

male and female athletes are conducted on a statewide basis;

5. Encourage and support amateur athletic sports programs for

handicapped individuals in amateur athletic activity including,

where feasible, expanding the opportunities for meaningful

participation by handicapped individuals in athletic competition for

able-bodied individuals; and

6. Encourage and provide assistance to amateur athletes of

racial and ethnic minorities for the purpose of eliciting the

participation of such minorities in amateur athletic activities in

which they are underrepresented.

F. All amateur athletes or teams who are members of an amateur

sports organization shall not be restricted from playing either

recreational or competitive sports due to race, color, religion,

age, sex, geographical boundaries or national origin.

G. Any person, officer or amateur sports organization, as

defined by the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, 36 U.S.C., Section 373

and by the provisions of this section, knowingly violating the

provisions of subsection F of this section shall be guilty of a

misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be imprisoned in the county

jail for not more than six (6) months or fined not more than Five

Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or both such fine and imprisonment; and

knowing violation of any of the provisions of this section may

subject such persons or organization to civil penalties.