The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee already has sprints, swim strokes and somersaults under its umbrella.
Now, it's adding touchdowns.
USA Football joins the likes of track and field, swimming and gymnastics as a national governing body after being certified Thursday by the USOPC. It’s a significant moment for flag football ahead of its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The organization becomes the 38th Summer Olympics national governing body (NGB). It will oversee all aspects of American football as it relates to selecting, training and supervising the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams.
USA Football instantly arrives as a strong NGB, too, especially with the support of the NFL.
“A truly historic moment,” USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck said in an interview with The Associated Press. “This is like the official stepping through the doorway into the home of the Olympic movement and now being part of the family. This an incredibly inspiring and an exciting moment for all of us at USA Football and for the sport at large.”
In October 2023, the International Olympic Committee voted to add flag football, baseball/softball, cricket, lacrosse and squash to the 2028 Olympic program in Los Angeles. USA baseball, softball and squash have already been certified NGB members due to their participation in the Pan American Games. USA lacrosse and cricket are working toward certification.
The road to becoming an NGB involves numerous steps, including an audit conducted by the USOPC compliance team. USA Football, the governing body for tackle and flag football, was examined to make sure it had the financial capabilities to support Team USA athletes, demonstrate it could create a robust training and competitive foundation and adhere to athlete safety standards.
“The process of becoming a NGB requires demonstrating great commitment to the athletes, to the sport, and to the Olympic and Paralympic community,” USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland said in a statement. “We look forward to a successful partnership.”
The popularity of flag football skyrocketed only after becoming a way to bring home an Olympic gold medal. Even NFL players — think Tyreek Hill and Patrick Mahomes — expressed an interest in possibly trying to make the Olympic roster, much like NBA or NHL players.
Flag football has a powerful marketing arm in the NFL, which has helped organize programs and leagues. The NFL is pushing the game around the world, too, so it becomes even more competitive on a global scale. That only bodes well for flag football's long-term success and for Olympic inclusion beyond Los Angeles.
USA Football’s volunteer board of directors has NFL ties, too, with Mark Murphy, the president and CEO of the Green Bay Packers, and Pete Ward, the chief operating officer of the Indianapolis Colts, serving on it.
“They are the gold standard, frankly, of professional sports,” Hallenbeck said of the NFL. “It’s very important to the sport that they put their weight behind it. It's a brilliant international growth strategy for the NFL.”
The women’s game, in particular, has seen significant growth. There are now 14 states that have sanctioned high school girls flag football as a varsity sport and several NAIA schools that are offering college scholarships. More than 230,000 girls ages six to 17 played flag football in 2023.
“I’m proud to show young girls around the world that they can achieve greatness in football,” Team USA quarterback Vanita Krouch said in a statement. “I can’t wait for the world to see our team compete in 2028.”
Flag football will be played at the LA Olympics under the rules spelled out by the International Federation of American Football. It will be five-on-five with everyone eligible to catch a pass. The field is 50 by 25 yards (46 by 23 meters), along with 10 yards (9 meters) for each end zone. A touchdown is worth six points.
Team USA has been a dominant force in men's and women's flag football on the international scene. They each won gold medals in the IFAF flag football world championships in Lahti, Finland, last year, with the men beating Austria and the women getting by Mexico.
“We're enjoying the journey," Hallenbeck said. “And we're really excited about each day getting closer to the ultimate culmination of all this hard work, which will of course be at the Olympic Games themselves.”
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports
