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Concerned that the National Center for Safe Sport is not fulfilling its role as Congress intended, two U.S. senators have asked the sports governing body a series of questions that could determine whether federal lawmakers intervene again. I’m asking you to answer.
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) sent a letter Wednesday to more than 50 national governing bodies to improve SafeSport’s handling of abuse complaints, treatment of whistleblowers, and athlete safety. asked nine questions about what Congress can do to ensure that Protected. The senators asked the NGB to respond within two weeks.
“Over the past seven years, SafeSport has made strides in helping athletes and their families combat abuse in sports, but there is still much work to do,” said the organization, which has long been a bipartisan effort to improve protections for athletes. wrote the senators who have been proactive.
“We are grateful for SafeSport’s work since its founding in helping protect children, families, and the broader U.S. Olympic and Paralympic movement,” they wrote. “Yet, athletes still face obstacles in reporting abuse and misconduct to SafeSport and seeing those reports properly investigated and resolved. We need to do more to ensure we achieve this.”
Following sexual abuse scandals in several sports, including revelations that Larry Nassar used his position as USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor to abuse hundreds of girls and young women. Congress established SafeSport as an independent body to handle complaints of abuse at the Olympics. movement. The center opened in March 2017 following the passage of the Protection of Youth Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sports Licensing Act, and the Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athlete Empowerment Act of 2020 established the center. Additional powers and funding were granted.
However, since its establishment, SafeSport has been criticized for long delays in resolving complaints, in some cases up to several years. Government closures are high, and NGBs claim they remain unsure whether someone poses a threat. and investigative and appellate processes that are insensitive to the trauma experienced by reporting parties.
According to SafeSport’s 2022 Annual Report, since the center opened in March 2017, 4,800 of the 12,751 incidents resulted in administrative closures. Meanwhile, only 1,720 violations were found.
“We appreciate the efforts of Senators Blackburn and Peters to focus on athlete safety and learn how they can further support the mission of the U.S. Center for SafeSport,” said SafeSport CEO ( CEO Julies Colon said in a statement to USA TODAY.
“Before we opened our doors, abuse in sport continued unchecked. We were founded out of a need for accountability and oversight of over 50 National Sports Governing Bodies (NGBs), most of which recognizes the importance of the Center’s independence and exclusive jurisdiction.”
more:The U.S. Center for SafeSport was founded to protect athletes from abuse. But is it working?
Complaints about SafeSport come from multiple governing bodies, abuse advocacy groups and lawyers on both sides of the process. Many are kept private for fear of retaliation, but U.S. Soccer is making its concerns public following Sally Yates’ report on widespread abuse in women’s soccer.
In his report, Yates urged U.S. Soccer not to rely solely on SafeSport to keep players safe due to the delay in resolving the incident, but to “take safety measures when necessary to protect players.” “We should take action,” he specifically recommended.
more:What is the U.S. Center for SafeSport and what does it do?
U.S. Soccer tried that with Rory Dames, whose abusive and manipulative behavior as coach of the Chicago Red Stars accounted for 38 pages of Yates’ 172-page report. But SafeSport ordered U.S. Soccer to hand over Dames’ coaching license while it investigated Dames, instead imposing temporary restrictions that would theoretically allow him to continue coaching.
Almost two years later, the case against Dames remains unresolved despite a wealth of evidence.
“Ultimately, we all share the same goal: to support and protect amateur athletes who compete and represent America on the international stage,” Blackburn and Peters wrote. “These athletes carry the hopes, dreams, and ideals of the American people. They shouldn’t. Also They are forced to carry the burden and pain of abuse. ”
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