2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THREE - Executive (§§ 1 — 9311) › Chapter 20D - Sports and Recreation Department (2004) › § 444p - Olympic Committee autonomy; coordination of functions

The Department recognizes the Olympic Committee’s and the national sports federations’ autonomy to direct olympic sports and to govern themselves by their own regulations and determinations, exempted from the state’s intervention in matters of olympic and federative jurisdiction, without hindering the Department’s power to oversee the funds or donations granted by the same.
(a) Responsibilities of the Department in coordination with the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee:—
(1) The Department shall establish the National Plan allowing the massive participation of different sport disciplines, as provided by § 444o of this title.
(2) The Department shall organize the National Youth Games in order to consolidate the different public and private tournaments.
(3) The Department and the Olympic Committee shall identify talented athletes with the potential to represent Puerto Rico.
(4) The Department and the Olympic Committee shall maintain files of the records or scores of high performance athletes or those with potential for high performance.
(5) The Department and the Olympic Committee shall promote the participation of women in sports, particularly in executive levels of national and international organizations.
(6) The Department and the Olympic Committee shall work with any other public or private entity that may further the development of sports in the Country.
(7) The Department and the Olympic Committee shall provide mechanisms for the social and professional development of former high performance athletes.
(8) The Department and the Olympic Committee shall create the Puerto Rico Olympic Medal Register, which shall include the names of all athletes who have won medals at sports events sponsored by the Olympic Committee of Puerto Rico, stating the kind of medal, the sports event, and the date on which it was awarded. The Secretary is hereby empowered to issue a certification stating the status of the recipient as a member of the Register, as well as the credentials to such effect. Such certification may be issued in favor of any of the assignees of a deceased member of the Register. Furthermore, the Secretary may, notwithstanding, create a category within the Register that incorporates all those Puerto Rican athletes who have won Olympic medals, although not as members of a Puerto Rico team. The information contained in the Medal Register created herein shall be available electronically in the webpage of the Department.
(b) General provisions.—
(1) The Department shall not interfere with the Olympic Committee’s compliance with the Olympic Charter; it is also Provided, That nothing of what this chapter determines shall apply to Olympic sports, to activities by the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee and its affiliated federations, recognizing the autonomy of Puerto Rico Olympic organizations to direct Olympic sports without the intervention, control or supervision of the Puerto Rico Government or of municipal governments.
(2) The Department may grant funds directly to national federations only through formal proposals and for specific purposes that are supported by the Olympic Committee.
History —Jan. 8, 2004, No. 8, § 19; Dec. 30, 2010, No. 245, § 1.