> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.uplifter.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What are guardian claims and discoverable athletes?

> How a second guardian requests to be added to an existing athlete, and the discoverability setting that allows it.

<Note>
  **Must know**

  * The athlete's guardian-claims setting controls whether a second guardian is added **instantly** or has to be **reviewed first** — not whether the athlete can be claimed at all.
  * That setting **defaults to off**, so by default a second guardian's request goes through review rather than being added automatically.
  * A claim is **reviewed and approved or denied by the athlete's primary guardian (or a club admin)** — not from the staff dashboard.
</Note>

Guardian claims let a second parent or caregiver ask to be added to an athlete another family member already manages — for example, a co-parent who wants their own access to the same child.

**Instant vs. reviewed.** Whether that second guardian is added right away or has to wait depends on the athlete's guardian-claims setting. When it's on, a matching guardian is added instantly, with no review. When it's off — the default — the request isn't rejected; it's queued as a claim request for approval. Either way the athlete can be claimed; the setting only decides whether there's a review step.

**Where each step happens.** A guardian starts a claim on your club's public website during registration: when they add an athlete who already exists at the club, Uplifter recognizes the match instead of creating a duplicate. The review step then happens in the parent portal, where the athlete's primary guardian (or a club admin) approves or denies it. Neither step is done from your staff dashboard.

**Who can review.** Only the athlete's **primary** guardian — or an organization admin — can see and act on a pending request. A secondary guardian on the same athlete can't. Approving links the new guardian to the athlete; denying leaves things unchanged.

Because this all happens outside the staff dashboard, point guardians to the family articles below when they need to request access or respond to a request.

**Related:** [Get added to an existing athlete (parent portal)](/families/families-getting-started/get-added-to-an-existing-athlete) · [Review guardian requests for my athlete (parent portal)](/families/families-getting-started/review-guardian-requests-for-my-athlete) · [What is a guardian and how are they linked to athletes?](/club/athletes-families/what-is-a-guardian)