The Center contributes key chapter on the safety landscape in the United States

The U.S. Center for SafeSport (the Center) today highlighted the release of “Protecting the Beauty of the Game: Towards a Safeguarding Culture,” a book published by the Sports Law and Policy Centre that features expertise from around the world and covers athlete safety efforts across ten countries. The book includes a chapter on the athlete safety landscape in the United States by four members of the Center’s Executive Leadership Team, Hannah Hinton, Hilary Nemchik, Jessica Perrill, and Monica Rivera.

The “Safe Sport in the United States of America” (pages 361-380) chapter includes an overview of the organization’s history, legal framework, and approach to culture change through policy, education, and accountability. The publication also includes sections on the global dimension of sport safeguarding, other national-level athlete safety efforts, and the importance of culture-oriented safeguarding policies. The electronic version can be accessed here.

The book’s comparative analysis notes that, “In the United States, the U.S. Center for SafeSport (USCSS) stands as the first centralized system designed to intervene, investigate, and prevent abuse across Olympic and Paralympic sports…While its rapid growth has brought organizational challenges, the Center’s increasing emphasis on collaboration with stakeholders and survivor communities reflects a move toward more trauma-informed, athlete-centered reforms.”

Need for Abuse Prevention in Sport

The U.S. Center for SafeSport is the nation’s only independent organization dedicated to ending sexual, physical, and emotional abuse in U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sport. The Center emerged in response to high profile cases of sexual abuse of minor athletes within Olympic and Paralympic sport in the mid-2010s. With the mission of making athlete well-being the centerpiece of the nation’s sport culture, the Center has since been setting safety policies, and receiving, investigating, and resolving complaints of abuse and misconduct. The Center also serves as an educational resource for sports organizations at all levels, from recreational sports organizations to professional leagues.

With the goal of ensuring athletes within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement are safe, supported, and strengthened, the Center:

• Establishes safety policies, including the SafeSport Code and the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP).
• Investigates and resolves allegations of abuse and misconduct and levies sanctions, including temporary and permanent bans from Olympic and Paralympic Sport.
• Delivers comprehensive abuse prevention education within and outside of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement.
• Implements a comprehensive audit and compliance function over all National Governing Bodies (NGBs) within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement to ensure adherence to safety, abuse prevention, and accountability standards.

About the U.S. Center for SafeSport

The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 codified the U.S. Center for SafeSport (the Center), as the nation’s safe sport organization. It furthered the Center’s independence while underscoring its authority to hold individuals accountable. It also charged the Center with developing policies, procedures, and training to prevent abuse and misconduct in sport.

In October of 2020, the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020 became law, even further strengthening the Center’s independence and oversight functions while mandating minimum funding requirements for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

The Center opened its doors in March of 2017.

Reporting and Resources

Report here to the U.S. Center for SafeSport if you have experienced abuse or misconduct—or if you have reasonable suspicion of abuse or misconduct—inflicted by someone in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement. You can also leave a message by calling the Center at: 833-587-7233.

RAINN's 24/7 online hotline is available for crisis intervention, referrals, or emotional support at any time. You can also call RAINN at: 800-656-HOPE (4673).

The Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential support at 988lifeline.org or by calling 988.

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"In the United States, the U.S. Center for SafeSport (USCSS) stands as the first centralized system designed to intervene, investigate, and prevent abuse across Olympic and Paralympic sports." - excerpt from Protecting the Beauty of the Game