The purpose of this study was to examine the social media guidelines established by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which are enforced by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). Specifically, this paper explored the relationship between the USOC, IOC, and the USOC athletes with regard to Rule 40 of the IOC, which regulates athlete social media use and expression of non-Olympic sponsors. This study was guided by two underlying questions: Does the social media policy from the IOC and USOC violate an American athlete’s constitutional rights granted under the first amendment of the Constitution? And, when the United States Congress officially recognized the USOC in 1978, did it recognize a federally created monopoly on Olympic participation for athletes from the United States?
