This document provides information on athlete medical forms for the 2018-2019 program year for Special Olympics. Key updates include a new Athlete Registration Form and Athlete Likeness Release for Sponsors. The Athlete Medical Form and Release Form were also revised. Forms must now be correctly completed and submitted by certain deadline dates for athletes to participate in competitions for each sports season. Missing deadlines results in restrictions. The document reviews the various forms and provides guidance on common errors to avoid.

1. Athlete Medical Records
Program Year 2018-2019
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2. What’s new for 2018-2019
• The Athlete Registration Form is new (see slide “The
Athlete Registration Form” below for more information)
• The Athlete Likeness Release for Sponsors is new (see
slide “The Athlete Likeness Release for Sponsors” below
for more information
• The Athlete Medical Form and Athlete Release Form
have been revised by Special Olympics, Inc.
• All forms are now available in English and Spanish
• Returning athletes must complete the Athlete Release
Form when renewing their information
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3. The Athlete Registration Form
• Originally part of the Athlete Medical Form,
information not related to health (i.e. address,
parent/guardian contact information, etc.) has
been separated out.
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4. The Athlete Medical Form
• Will be accepted from another state program as long
as there have been no alterations made to the form
by that program.
• Pages 1-2: Parts may be left blank to be discussed
during physical exam.
• Page 3: Must be completed and signed by a licensed
medical professional (M.D., D.O., N.P. or P.A.)
• Page 4: Should be completed if an athlete’s
participation is restricted and a follow-up exam is
required.
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5. The Athlete Medical Form cont…
• A current WIAA physical form will be accepted
in lieu of the Athlete Medical Form. The WIAA
physical form is good for three years from the
date of the exam.
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6. Athlete Medical Form Errors
Medical forms will not be processed for the following reasons:
• The Athlete Release Form has not been submitted for new
athletes AND returning athletes when they renew their
medical information.
• The athlete medical is not the Athlete Medical Form or a
current WIAA physical form
• The form is faxed to the State Office – however, forms that
have been faxed back and forth to a doctor’s office but are
then mailed or emailed to the State Office are acceptable
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7. More Athlete Medical Form Errors
• Physical exam section is blank – we cannot
process forms that have notes attached instead
of this section being completed
• The medical examiner’s signature is missing
• The medical date of exam is missing
• Restrictions or medical examiner’s comments
are unclear
• The medical was not signed by an M.D., D.O.,
N.P. or P.A.
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8. Athletes with Down Syndrome
From 2017-2020 any current athlete previously
assumed to have Down syndrome due to a medical
examiner’s notation error in the atlantoaxial
instability section of their Application for
Participation in Special Olympics form will have their
restrictions lifted when the athlete submits the new
Athlete Medical Form and the new form indicates no
neurological symptoms or physical findings that
could be associated with atlantoaxial instability.
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9. Athletes with Down Syndrome –
Medical Restrictions
If the medical examiner indicates the athlete has
neurological or physical findings that could be
associated with atlantoaxial instability, then the Medical
Referral Form (4th page of the new Athlete Medical
Form) or the AAI Special Release Form must be
submitted to allow the athlete to participate in the
following sports offered by Special Olympics Wisconsin:
alpine skiing, butterfly stroke, diving start, football
(soccer) team, football (soccer) skills, gymnastics –
artistic, powerlifting (squat lift only), snowboarding.
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10. The Athlete Release Form
• Only needs to be completed once unless there is
a change in guardianship.
• Returning athletes MUST complete and send in
the new Athlete Release Form when renewing
their information.
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11. Athlete Release Form Errors
Athlete Release Forms will not be processed if:
• Any section is crossed out/altered.
• There is no medical form on file.
• The adult athlete’s signature is missing if they are
their own guardian.
• The signature of the parent/guardian is missing if the
athlete is a minor/not their own guardian.
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12. Athlete Likeness Release for
Sponsors
• This form gives athletes the option to allow our
sponsors to use their likeness.
• This form is OPTIONAL
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13. The AAI Special Release Form
• This form should be completed if symptoms of spinal
cord compression or Atlanto-axial instability are noted
in the Physical Exam section of the Athlete Medical
Form and a medical professional has provided an
additional neurological evaluation.
• If an athlete is restricted from participation due to
symptoms of spinal cord compression or Atlanto-axial
instability, they must submit the AAI Special Release
Form one week following the event entry deadline to
be eligible for competition.
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14. The Emergency Medical Care Refusal
Form
• If refusal for emergency medical care and/or blood
transfusions is noted on the Athlete Release Form,
then the athlete will be restricted from all practices
and competitions until the Emergency Medical Care
Refusal (EMCR) Form or a new, unaltered Athlete
Release Form is received by the State Office.
• ALL guidelines on the EMCR Form must be followed.
Please ensure the athlete and/or their
parent/guardians are aware of the guidelines if they
submit an EMCR Form.
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15. More on the EMCR Form
• If an athlete is restricted from participation in an
event due to a lack of the EMCR Form on file, they
must either submit the form or a new unaltered
Athlete Release Form one week following the
event entry deadline to be eligible for competition.
• Wisconsin law only allows refusal of emergency
medical care in a life threatening situation if a DNR
or Advanced Directive is presented.
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16. Medical Deadline Dates
• February 1 (Indoor Sports Season) – Basketball &
Gymnastics
• April 1 (Summer Games Season) – Athletics, Powerlifting,
Soccer & Swimming
• June 1 (Outdoor Sports Season) – Softball/Teeball, Tennis,
Golf & Bocce
• September 15 – Flag Football
• October 1 (Fall Sports Season) – Bowling & Volleyball
• December 1 (Winter Games Season)– Alpine Skiing, Cross
Country Skiing, Snowshoeing, Snowboarding, Unified
Basketball
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17. Missing Medical Deadlines
– New Athletes
Once the medical and release forms are received
by the State Office for new athletes they may
practice for the rest of that sports season but
cannot compete in any competitions for that
season.
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18. Missing Medical Deadlines
– Existing Athletes
• If the athlete’s current medical expires after
district/regional competition but prior to sectional
competition, they may compete in the
district/regional event only.
• If the athlete’s current medical expires after
sectional competition but prior to state
competition, they may compete in both
district/regional and sectional events but
CANNOT ADVANCE TO STATE.
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19. Athlete Rosters
• A roster listing every athlete whose medical will expire
prior to the last day of the last competition in the
upcoming sports season is mailed 6 weeks prior to
that season’s medical deadline.
• Updated rosters are mailed to agencies every 2-3
weeks if the agency has had any changes during that
time including new athletes, athletes that have
transferred to the agency, athletes that have been
removed or transferred from the agency, a change in
sports restrictions for an athlete.
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20. Some Reminders…
• Athlete medical and release forms MUST be postmarked AND
correctly completed by the medical deadline for the sport the
athlete is participating in. Forms that are emailed must be done so
by 11:59pm on the medical deadline.
• Medical restrictions do NOT have to be lifted by the medical
deadline date. However, they MUST be lifted one week following
the event entry deadline.
• Letters from medical examiners that lift athlete restrictions CAN be
faxed to the State Office.
• An athlete’s medical must remain valid through the last day of the
state competition in which they wish to compete for that sports
season.
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21. More Reminders…
• Medicals need to be renewed every three years
from the date of the physical exam (DOE).
• If an athlete needs a new medical form but their
insurance/MA does not allow for another physical,
the athlete can have the medical examiner write
the date of the last physical exam on the form.
• Please provide The Athlete Records Manager your
most current email address, as roster updates and
other important reminders are sent at the end of
every week.
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22. Agency Management Portal
• Athlete Medical Search
• View your agency’s entire roster, which is updated every Friday
afternoon
• Agency Management – Tools and Resources
• Download and print forms
• Agency Management – Best Practices
• This PowerPoint and sample letters
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23. Potpourri
• An athlete must be 8 years old by the medical deadline
date for the sport in which they are participating in
order to be eligible for that sport’s competitions.
• If someone other than the Agency Manager is
responsible for your athletes’ medicals, please let us
know. They MUST be a registered class A volunteer!
• Questions? Samantha Sotelo, Athlete Records
Manager, (608) 442-5677 or
ssotelo@specialolympicswisconsin.org
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24. Finally…
• Encourage your athletes and their
parents/guardians/caregivers to check their medical form
status online, and remind them to submit a new form by
the medical deadline date if the medical expires prior to
the last day of the state competition in which they wish to
compete.
• To view their information, they must enter their last name
and 8-digit DOB in the format MM/DD/YYYY at the
following link:
http://www.specialolympicswisconsin.org/athlete-
medical-info/
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