The US Center for SafeSport unveiled ten operational changes on Monday, aiming to enhance efficiency and trauma sensitivity while addressing concerns raised by both victims and the accused involved in cases at the center.
The overhaul announcement follows the center's eight-month review of the process, which has faced criticism from Congress, Olympic athletes, and families whose children participate in grassroots sports.
Prolonged Cases of SafeSport Process
Several of the changes aim to address concerns highlighted in a series of Associated Press stories. The stories outlined prolonged cases in which both victims and the accused often felt uninformed and uncertain about the SafeSport process.
Ju'Riese Colon, the CEO of the center, expressed pride in the progress made thus far but acknowledged the ongoing work ahead. The center, established in 2017 in response to the mishandling of the Larry Nassar sex abuse cases within the Olympic movement, remains committed to its mission.
The 10 Operational Changes Commitment
A significant change involves the center committing half of an employee's time to training for its response and resolution department, prioritizing enhanced trauma-sensitivity training, which will be based on research and best practices.
The center is forming a specialized team to handle cases involving minors. Additionally, individuals filing claims will now have the option to review the center's evidence and provide new information within 14 days of the conclusion of an investigation, a step not previously available. This will restrict the accused's ability to introduce new evidence in cases that reach arbitration.
The center is also initiating audits to extend accountability further into grassroots sports, acknowledging criticism that it handles numerous cases from locations distant from the Olympic pipeline.
The mother of a teenager, who had previously contacted the AP to discuss her son's case, commented that, at first glance, the changes appear promising because they suggest an acknowledgment that the previous process was flawed. Her family had sued the center after it sanctioned her son before even conducting an investigation. The AP is refraining from using her name to protect her son's privacy as he is a minor.
Sarah Hirshland, the CEO of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, expressed hope that these adjustments will improve the system for athlete safety.
Hirshland stated that the center has listened to individuals' experiences and is making changes to enhance those experiences and instill trust in their processes. "That's a solid step forward."
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Starting Monday, the center is revising its administrative closures to provide sports organizations with more precise explanations for the outcomes. Approximately 38% of the center's cases between 2017 and 2022 ended in administrative closures, indicating that SafeSport made no findings, imposed no sanctions, and had no public record of the allegation.
The center has stated that it will provide additional explanation for these closures. Still, it has not indicated any plans to reduce the percentage of cases that conclude in this manner, which has caused frustration for various reasons, including the financial burden on national governing bodies and the resulting confusion when these agencies seek to impose sanctions independently of the center.
The Congressional Recommendation
A Congressionally appointed commission recently issued a report recommending changes to the center, including a revision of the law governing the Olympics, including one proposal suggesting funding the center directly from the government rather than through the USOPC, which it oversees.
The recommendations stemmed from a study that lasted over a year and concluded that SafeSport has lost the trust of many athletes, the commission wrote in a report to Congress.
The commission's co-chairs, Dionne Koller and Han Xiao, expressed satisfaction that the center acknowledged the necessity for reform. Still, they emphasized that further action is required, which entails bolstering oversight and accountability across all movement institutions, providing independence to the Team USA Athletes Commission, and establishing an independent funding stream for SafeSport at a level adequate for it to fulfill its mission.
Colon appeared before a pair of Congressional panels last week, where she previewed some of the forthcoming changes.
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