ICAC Advocates for Olympic Sports on Campus

February 21, 2024 - The Intercollegiate Coaching Association Coalition (ICAC) has taken a significant step in advocating for the protection and support of Olympic sports within college athletics. In a formal submission to Congress's Commission on the State of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sports, the ICAC underscores the need to safeguard Olympic sports amid discussions surrounding protections for the NCAA.

Congress created the independent Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics to study the United States's participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This commission is also known as the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020.

Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), highlighted the significance of addressing this issue in congressional discussions: "The ICAC's letter rightly identifies a critical component of any support Congress may extend to the NCAA. It suggests that any aid provided to collegiate athletics should be contingent upon the protection of Olympic sports through antitrust exemptions or equivalent measures."

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, appointed four individuals to the Commission in April 2021, including her pick for co-chair. The appointees include: Co-Chair, Dionne Koller, a professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law; Jordyn Wieber, an American Olympic gold medalist gymnast and head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks; Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, a Track & Field Olympic Gold Medalist who served on the International Olympic Committee’s Active Society Commission; and Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a two-time Olympic swimmer, a civil rights lawyer and professor of sports law.

Rob Kehoe, a leader within the ICAC, emphasized the practical implications of the efforts: "Having directly engaged with college teams and coaches, I understand the challenges faced by NCAA Olympic sports programs. The ICAC's proactive stance in seeking protections for these sports is commendable and reflects a commitment to collegiate athletics overall."

The ICAC was established in 2017 as an organization to support the intercollegiate coaching profession, to engage in communication pertaining to matters that impact intercollegiate athletics, to represent the views and voice of college coaches.

Samantha Barany, Executive Director of the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), emphasized the importance of this initiative: "This letter, a cohesive effort from 20 Coaching Associations of NCAA sports, urges the Commission and Congress to ensure the preservation of broad-based sport sponsorship. In uncertain times, the ICAC's value is at its highest, and collaborative efforts, such as this one, are essential to safeguarding the future of collegiate athletics."

The ICAC's submission underscores the collective determination to address the unique needs of Olympic sports programs within the collegiate landscape. As discussions continue regarding the future of college athletics, the ICAC remains steadfast in its advocacy for the preservation and advancement of Olympic sports opportunities for student-athletes nationwide.

ICAC’s letter to the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sports.