Event Sanctions

The online process for requesting an event sanction or recognition follows the same initial process as adding an event to the USMS Calendar of Events: You will indicate that you want to request a sanction or recognition and that request will be routed to the appropriate LMSC Sanctions Chair for review.

All event-related information, including the meet announcement and other documents, should be submitted online. If the LMSC charges a sanction or recognition fee, payment must be submitted separately per instructions you will receive at the end of the submissions process.

SanctionED vs RecogniZED

All competitors in sanctioned events must be a member of USMS or another World Aquatics member organization for Masters Swimming. This requirement is necessary for the safety and enjoyment of the swimmers, for participant accident, general liability, and excess liability insurance coverage to be in force, and for times and records to be considered official. Times achieved at sanctioned events conducted in strict compliance with all mandatory swimming rules in Part 1 of the USMS Rule Book shall be considered for USMS national records, USMS Top 10 times, and World Aquatics world records (SCM and LCM only).

In recognized events, swimmers are not required to be USMS members and these events are not covered by USMS insurance. (Exception: USMS may issue a certificate of insurance to pre-approved recognized events that limit participation to members of USMS and College Club Swimming.) Times achieved at recognized events may be considered for USMS national records and USMS Top 10 times (SCM and LCM only) if the event has been granted recognition and a designated USMS observer is present and verifies in writing that the conduct of the competition conforms to the relevant USMS swimming rules and administrative regulations. World records can be set only in World Aquatics- or USMS-sanctioned competitions, not recognized events.

sanction fees & subsidies

The USMS Sanction Fee Grid lists the fixed and/or per swimmer sanction fees that the event host shall incur for various events.

The New England LMSC will, at its discretion, provide a sanction fee subsidy for events with 20 or more swimmers (including current USMS members and participants who purchase a USMS one-event membership) as follows:

  • 100% of the USMS sanction fee for NELMSC-sanctioned pool meets.

  • 50% of the USMS recognition fee for NELMSC-recognized pool meets.

  • Up to $750 of the USMS sanction fee for NELMSC-sanctioned open water events. The NELMSC may require a deposit to be returned after the event.

All swimmers in each sanctioned race must be a current USMS standard member ($70 per year), USMS+ member ($249 per year), or USMS one-event member ($20 per event) if offered for that event.

NELMSC policy allows event directors the option to offer one-event memberships for sanctioned open water events but does not allow one-event memberships for pool meets. (Other LMSCs may have have different policies.) The one-event membership fee is $20.

USMS membership questions should be directed to the NELMSC Membership Coordinator Douglas Sayles.