Kasumigaseki Country Club

Rules & Regulations

Qualification System

The Olympic field is restricted to 60 players for each of the men’s and women’s competitions. The IGF utilises the official world golf rankings to create the Olympic Golf Rankings as a method of determining eligibility. The top-15 world-ranked players will be eligible for the Olympics, with a limit of four players from a given country. Beyond the top-15, players will be eligible based on the world rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top-15.

The full Qualification System for the 2020 Olympic Games may be found here.

IGF Olympic Golf Regulations

The IGF Olympic Golf Regulations (version 20 July 2021) provide the official rules and regulations for the Olympic Golf Competition. They include both field of play policies and procedures as well as Olympic-specific regulations. An addendum addressing COVID-19 regulations was developed especially for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Rule 40

The IOC Session held on 24-26 June 2019 decided to amend Bye-law 3 of Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter as follows:

“Competitors, team officials and other team personnel who participate in the Olympic Games may allow their person, name, picture or sports performances to be used for advertising purposes during the Olympic Games in accordance with the principles determined by the IOC Executive Board.”

The principles seek to clarify the commercial opportunities during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and put athletes and other Olympic Games participants in a better position to work with their personal sponsors in a manner consistent with their rights and responsibilities under the Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration and the Olympic Charter.

The new principles represent a balance between, on the one hand, protecting and maintaining Olympic marketing programmes to ensure funding of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement, and, on the other hand, the individual athlete’s rights to generate income in relation to their sporting career, name and likeness.

The National Olympic Committees will be responsible for the implementation in their respective territory, while taking into consideration their specific applicable legal framework.

2021 Updates

Following the postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the Key Principles on the application of bye-law 3 to Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter (Tokyo 2020 Key Principles) have now been updated and were approved by the IOC Executive Board meeting on 27 January 2021.

Please refer to the links below for further information:

Rule 40 – Key Principles - Guidelines regarding advertising during the Games - 2021 version

Illustrative Guidance for Non-Olympic Partners

Rule 40 Q&A for Athletes

Summary of changes in 2021 version:

  • The “Games Period” for the Tokyo Games has been adjusted to reflect the dates of the Tokyo Games in 2021;
  • The date for notification of campaigns by non-Olympic partners has been changed from 15 May 2020 to 15 May 2021;
  • Noting that, in host countries, the responsibility for implementation of the Key Principles is shared by the host NOC and the OCOG,
  • Official merchandise licensees are included within the definition of “Olympic Partners”;
  • The definition of “Non-Olympic Partners” now includes organisations other than brands or companies, and;
  • “Tokyo 2021” is listed as a prohibited phrase, as well as “Tokyo 2020”.

Rule 50

As stated in the Olympic Charter, the NOCs have the sole and exclusive authority to prescribe and determine the clothing and uniforms to be worn, and the equipment to be used, by the members of their delegations on the occasion of the Olympic Games and in connection with all sports competitions and ceremonies related thereto. This exclusive authority does not extend to specialised equipment used by the athletes for their delegations during the actual sports competitions.

Clothing and shoes worn by athletes shall be consistent with currently accepted golf fashion. A policy on Athlete Uniform Guidelines may be found within the IGF Regulations. Clothing shall be in conformance with the Olympic Charter in particular in accordance with the golf-specific application of the Guidelines regarding Authorised Identifications (Olympic Charter, Rule 50).

Caddies shall wear bibs with athlete name badges as prescribed by Tokyo 2020 and the IGF and clothing as provided by the NOC of the caddie’s athlete.

The Rule 50 General Guidelines (updated in December 2020 to include face masks and face shields) as well as the Golf Specific Guidelines provide detailed information.

The IOC Athletes’ Commission has developed guidelines for athletes clarifying opportunities for athletes to express their views during the Olympic Games, should they so wish, within the context of local laws and Rule 50.

Nationality


Any athlete in an "International Golf Competition" (see section II of the IGF Nationality Policy, available in the IGF Policies and Charters (June 21)) must be a national of the country which the Athlete is representing or under which the Athlete is eligible for the competition. The IGF publishes this Policy as it pertains to matters relating to the determination of the country which an Athlete may represent in an International Golf Competition. Please refer to the Policy for more details.

Other Rules and Regulations


Other Olympic documentation and resources will be released at a later stage.

For further information, please refer to the

Any questions regarding the Olympic Games Rules and Regulations should be sent to info@igfmail.org and we will be happy to answer your query.

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