Effective January 1, 2022, Regional Certificates are valid ONLY within the same calendar year.
Any athlete who resides in a country with a Regional Certificate requirement must compete in a Regional contest in his or her country and must obtain a Regional Certificate before competing in a Pro Qualifier contest anywhere in the world. This Regional Certificate is valid only until December 31, 2022. In 2023 and each year thereafter, this athlete must again compete in a Regional contest in his or her country to meet the yearly Regional Certificate requirement.
If an athlete resides in a country with a Regional Certificate requirement but there are no Regional contests in that country until later in the year, the athlete may compete in a Pro Qualifier contest anywhere in the world provided the Pro Qualifier contest is held before the first Regional contest in his or her country. When this Regional contest is held, the athlete may not compete in any other Pro Qualifier contest without first obtaining a Regional Certificate from his or her country.
Countries with a Regional Certificate requirement:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Uruguay
