---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 2656k"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "2656k"
heading: "Human rights awareness for American athletic delegations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/2656k"
units:
  - "Chapter 38 — Department of State"
---

# §2656k. Human rights awareness for American athletic delegations

- (a) **Sense of Congress—** It is the sense of Congress that individuals representing the United States at international athletic competitions in [foreign countries](/usc/22/2321c.md?p=2) should have the opportunity to be informed about human rights and security concerns in such countries and how best to safeguard their personal security and privacy.
- (b) **In general—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 120 days after December 27, 2021, the Secretary of State shall devise and implement a strategy for disseminating briefing materials, including information described in [subsection (c)](#c), to individuals representing the United States at international athletic competitions in a covered country.
  - (2) **Timing and form of materials—**
    - (A) **In general—** The briefing materials referred to in [paragraph (1)](#b-1) shall be offered not later than 180 days prior to the commencement of an international athletic competition in a covered country.
    - (B) **Form of delivery—** Briefing materials related to the human rights record of covered countries may be delivered electronically or disseminated in person, as appropriate.
    - (C) **Special consideration—** Information briefing materials related to personal security risks may be offered electronically, in written format, by video teleconference, or prerecorded video.
  - (3) **Consultations—** In devising and implementing the strategy required under [paragraph (1)](#b-1), the Secretary of State shall consult with the following:
    - (A) The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Senate, not later than 90 days after December 27, 2021.
    - (B) Leading human rights nongovernmental organizations and relevant subject-matter experts in determining the content of the briefings required under this subsection.
    - (C) The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the national governing bodies of amateur sports that play a role in determining which individuals represent the United States in international athletic competitions, regarding the most appropriate and effective method to disseminate briefing materials.
- (c) **Content of briefings—** The briefing materials required under [subsection (b)](#b) shall include, with respect to a covered country hosting an international athletic competition in which individuals may represent the United States, the following:
  - (1) Information on the human rights concerns present in such covered country, as described in the Department of State’s Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
  - (2) Information, as applicable, on risks such individuals may face to their personal and digital privacy and security, and recommended measures to safeguard against certain forms of foreign intelligence targeting, as appropriate.
- (d) **Covered country defined—** In this section, the term “covered country” means, with respect to a country hosting an international athletic competition in which individuals representing the United States may participate, any of the following:
  - (1) Any Communist country specified in subsection (f) of [section 2370 of this title](/usc/22/2370.md).
  - (2) Any country ranked as a Tier 3 country in the most recent Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report.
  - (3) Any other country the Secretary of State determines presents serious human rights concerns for the purpose of informing such individuals.
  - (4) Any country the Secretary of State, in consultation with other cabinet officials as appropriate, determines presents a serious counterintelligence risk.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–81, div. F, title LXV, § 6504, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2426.)