Event Sanction System Updates

USMS has been updating its digital systems, and we are excited to launch our next major update: an improved online event sanction system that'll make applying for and receiving a sanction for your event much smoother. We're making these changes based on feedback from event directors like you, volunteers, and swimmers. That feedback drove our direction, and we feel our new system will be a powerful and efficient new tool for all.

If Your Event Was Sanctioned Before the New System

The new system launched on March 11.

Here are the next steps you should take to make your event detail page complete and ensure your event is compliant with our eligibility policy and Top 10 times database requirements. (Note: editing your event will send it back to the sanctions chair for approval)

Review your listing on the calendar of events
Log in to your event dashboard to confirm your event is in your account. If not, please contact event services.
Critical updates to ensure compliance
- Choose your event registration partner. Currently, only Club Assistant (pool and open water) and RunSignUp (open water only) offer the USMS membership verification API and no other event partner will be allowed going forward. (If your event is not using one of these partners for an already approved event, you don't have to make any changes. However, only these two partners will be allowed going forward). More partners may be added in the future.
- Sanctioned pool events
  - Select a location from our list of measured pools
  - Select a course to validate that it is certified for times to count in the USMS Top 10 database
  - Select a timing system to validate that times are eligible for World Record, USMS Records, or Top 10 times
- Open water events
  - Select your open water referee and safety director; only USMS-certified referees and directors will be options
Optional updates to make your event information complete
- Upload an image from your event to make it stand out on the calendar of events and liven up your event detail page. We recommend a facility photo that is high-resolution (1 MB minimum), landscape-oriented, and without a close-up focus of swimmers so it can be scaled across multiple screen sizes. Here is an example for a pool meet and an open water event.
- Comprehensive event description to sell your event to prospective participants. Here is an example of a pool meet and an open water event.

Changes Made to the Sanction Process for Event Directors

You can get a sneak peek at what's changing by watching our video overview.

Design - it will offer a more modern and mobile-friendly layout
Login - a USMS My Account login is required, which provides a quick way to access event info
Dashboard - one place where upcoming and past events are visible, as well as the ability to add a new one
Types of Events - created more ways for events to show on the calendar
- Sanction/Recognition - this will stay the same
- Calendar Listing - this is for any event that is planning to be sanctioned or recognized but is hoping to get promoted now (even if all the documents aren't ready)
- Other - any event that is not applying for a sanction or recognition but is hoping to show on the calendar
Meet Announcement - required to be done before applying for a sanction, so the approval process will be smoother
Promotional Event Details - added new ways to help promote your event, like a photo uploader
Informational Event Details - added more fields to help the USMS staff promote, and members learn more about an event
Locations Database - for sanctioned/recognized/calendar listing pool events, the ability to select from pools that are only in our measured pool database, which is easily searchable and indicates if the times can count for the results database
Uploading Documents - all documents will be securely uploaded in the event sanction system, not separately in Survey Monkey
Quicker Turnaround Times - all of these enhancements and an easier approval process for our sanctions chairs mean events get reviewed faster

Changes Made to the Sanction Process for Sanctions Chairs

Watch our video overview of the approval process. Here are some specific changes for your role:

Email Aliases - no more email aliases that end up getting caught in spam filters because of new SPF and DMARC policies. We will use your My Account login email
Reminder Emails - we will send reminder emails to you if an event has not been reviewed
Approval Email - you no longer need to log in to ESTHER (the legacy approval portal). After a sanction/recognition has been submitted, all the data will be in an approval email that you either approve or mark as edits needed
Event Documents - all the event documents will be in this approval email, so you do not need to go searching for them in Dropbox
Meet Announcement - the event director cannot move forward with their sanction/recognition if they do not check a box saying they have their meet announcement and have talked with their LMSC

Thanks again for running an event with us, and we are excited to share this new system with you. Please let us know if you have any questions.