August 2, 2023
U.S. Center for SafeSport: A Primer
The U.S. Center for SafeSport is the primary amateur
increase the independence of the Center from USOPC and
athletics organization in the United States with
to facilitate congressional oversight.
responsibility for preventing and responding to sexual and
other abuse. Between its creation in 2017 and December
2022, the Center received over 16,000 reports of potential
abuse and issued disciplinary reports on nearly 2,000
Complaint Review Process
adults, most of whom are no longer eligible to work or
Section XI of the SafeSport Code includes standards for the
volunteer with covered sports organizations due to their
management and disposition of complaints. When the Center
misconduct.
receives or accepts a complaint that falls within its jurisdiction, it
notifies the USOPC or relevant NGB and makes a preliminary
While the SafeSport model has been praised and the
inquiry to determine whether to conduct a ful investigation.
Center has developed an infrastructure to address abuse,
some stakeholders have called its effectiveness into
During an investigation by the Center, both the claimant (who
question.
has alleged wrongdoing) and the respondent (who is under
investigation) are allowed to submit relevant evidence and
This Insight provides background on Congress’s role in
identify potential witnesses. Neither party is required to
the development of the Center, an overview of rules
cooperate with or participate in this process. Parties may have
pertaining to the Center, and discussion of concerns about
the assistance of an “advisor,” who may be an attorney.
the Center’s effectiveness.
Respondents have certain procedural rights, including a right to
written notice, to be represented by counsel, and to be heard
Creation and Development of the
during the investigation.
Center
Decisions of the Center are based on a preponderance-of-the-
The Center was established by amateur athletics
evidence standard of proof. The findings of each investigation are
stakeholders in March 2017 to address abuse against
included in a confidential report that is provided to the claimant
amateur athletes through prevention, education, and
and respondent along with the Center’s decision on whether a
accountability. The Center’s creation followed several
violation has occurred and what, if any, sanctions are being
high-profile investigations of sexual abuse of minor
imposed.
athletes by adults affiliated with the national governing
After a decision is issued, the respondent has a right to a review
boards (NGBs) for several sports.
hearing before an arbitrator.
The SafeSport Code is available at https://uscenterforsafesport.org/
Perhaps the most well-known of these cases involved
response-and-resolution/safesport-code/.
former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar, who
sexually abused athletes for decades and is currently
serving a 60-year sentence in federal prison.
Authorities and Operations of the
Center
At the time of the Center’s creation, Congress was also
The Center is independent from the USOPC and other
considering legislation to address these issues. Initial
organizations and “exercise[s] jurisdiction over the
proposals focused on the United States Olympic and
[USOPC] and each [NGB] with regard to safeguarding
Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and NGBs to help ensure
amateur athletes against abuse, including emotional,
that they appropriately respond to abuse allegations.
physical, and sexual abuse, in sports” (36 U.S.C.
Ultimately, in early 2018, Congress passed the Protecting
§220541(a)(1)(B)). The Center is required to allow for the
Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport
“reporting, investigation, and resolution” of sexual abuse
Authorization Act (P.L. 115-126), which instead assigned
allegations (36 U.S.C. §220541(a)(1)(D)). Those policies
most of those duties to the Center. These provisions are
and procedures are provided in the SafeSport Code for the
codified at Title 36, Sections 220541-220543, of the U.S.
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement, published by the
Code.
Center.
After this initial congressional action, abuse investigations
The Center is also specifically required to immediately
continued and more information came to light about the
report allegations of child abuse to law enforcement and to
problem across amateur athletics. This led Congress to
require NGBs to do the same (36 U.S.C. §220542(a)(2)).
enact the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur
Athletes Act (P.L. 116-189) in 2020. This act made broader
In addition to investigating and reporting abuse, the Center
changes to the Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act, which
is also required to maintain an office of education and
governs the USOPC, and included specific provisions to
outreach, provide training on SafeSport practices, and
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U.S. Center for SafeSport: A Primer
conduct compliance audits of USOPC and NGB adherence
required to report that interference to Congress within 72
to SafeSport policies (36 U.S.C. §220541(h)).
hours (36 U.S.C. §220541(f)(4)).
The Center maintains both an online reporting portal and a
Transparency to Congress
telephone hotline. Information on both is available at
To facilitate congressional oversight, the Center is required
https://uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern/.
to submit an annual report to Congress that includes general
information about the Center’s activities, specific
Sanctions
information on its finances, and statistics on complaints and
When a Center investigation finds that a violation of the
investigations (36 U.S.C. §220543(c)).
SafeSport Code has occurred, the Center is authorized to
impose different types of sanctions, including written
Funding
warnings, time-limited restrictions including probation and
The operating funds for the Center are provided by the
suspension, indefinite ineligibility, and permanent
amateur athletics community. Congress mandated that,
ineligibility. The Center may impose additional sanctions
beginning in 2021, the USOPC must provide the Center $20
such as no-contact directives and mandatory training
million per year (36 U.S.C. §220541(g)). The Center also
(SafeSport Code §XIII).
receives funding from donations, grants, and fees for some
of its training programs.
Publication of Names of Barred Individuals
The Center is also required to “publish and maintain [a
In addition, Congress authorized the Department of Justice
website] that contains a comprehensive list of adults who
to provide grants of up to $2.5 million per year to support
are barred by the Center” (36 U.S.C. §220541(a)(1)(G)). To
oversight with regard to “safeguarding amateur athletes”
meet this requirement, the SafeSport Code states that the
(36 U.S.C. §220531).
Center will publish a list of “[p]articipants whose eligibility
has in some way been restricted by the Center, the USOPC,
Is the Center Effective?
an NGB,” or a local affiliated organization (SafeSport Code
Congress has demonstrated an ongoing interest in the
§XII(C)).
welfare of amateur athletes, including both accountability
for past abuse and prevention of future problems. Congress
The Center maintains a list of covered individuals including
may monitor both the Center’s ability to perform its
their names and locations, sport affiliations, and statuses
functions and whether the duties and authorities of the
and why they were barred. The list includes approximately
Center, if successfully implemented, are sufficient to meet
2,000 individuals, many of whom have been charged with
Congress’s goal the protect athletes.
or convicted of criminal sexual misconduct.
The SafeSport model and the Center are both relatively
NGB Compliance Audits
new, especially in their implementation, and the Center’s
The Center also conducts annual audits of the USOPC and
effectiveness has been criticized. For instance, in October
NGBs to “assess compliance with policies and procedures”
2022, the U.S. Soccer Federation released an investigative
for the Center and help ensure they are providing
report led by Sally Yates regarding abuse within the
“consistent training” to all staff (36 U.S.C. §220541(h)).
National Women’s Soccer League. While the report was
largely critical of both organizations, it also included
The Center is authorized to impose “corrective measures”
recommendations for making the Center more effective and
on USOPC and NGBs to ensure compliance with the
better connected to athletes as well as improving how
Center’s requirements, and the USOPC is obliged to use its
NGBs respond to the Center’s activities. Additionally, the
authority over NGBs to assist the Center (36 U.S.C.
report noted the Center’s rate of administrative closures
§220541(h)(2). The Center is required to make the results
(i.e., the closure of complaints without findings) as a
of compliance audits publicly available and to report
potential concern but did not conduct a full review of that
annually to Congress on corrective measures (36 U.S.C.
issue.
§220541(h)(3)).
In July 2023, 103 athletes affiliated with the U.S. Soccer
Independence Requirements
Federation, including the entire 2023 Women’s World Cup
Congress has emphasized the Center’s need for
roster, signed an open letter to Congress reiterating the
independence from the USOPC and NGBs, which might be
concerns raised in the Yates report. The letter asks
the subject of investigations. To that end, in most cases
Congress to address three specific concerns: the
there is a two-year “cooling-off” period during which an
administrative closure rate for complaints, the potential
individual may not “work or volunteer at the Center” after
constraints of exclusive jurisdiction, and the right to
leaving a position with USOPC or an NGB (36 U.S.C.
arbitration for all appeals of decisions by the Center.
§220541(f)(1). The Government Accountability Office is
required to certify, each year, that the Center has
Ben Wilhelm, Analyst in Government Organization and
maintained its independence by following this and other
Management
specified practices (36 U.S.C. §220541(j)).
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Additionally, if USOPC or an NGB attempts to interfere
with an investigation conducted by the Center, the Center is


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U.S. Center for SafeSport: A Primer


Disclaimer
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