diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/OWNERS b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/OWNERS
deleted file mode 100644
index 8f7783f9f0b..00000000000
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/OWNERS
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-approvers:
-- api-approvers
-reviewers:
-- api-reviewers