Walden releases report on sexual abuse in organized sports
The House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., released a report Thursday titled “Nassar and Beyond: A Review of the Olympic Community’s Efforts to Protect Athletes from Sexual Abuse,” which summarizes the panel’s findings from its year-long investigation into sexual abuse within the U.S. Olympic Committee and the 48 National Governing Bodies.
During the bipartisan investigation, the committee uncovered a number of failures and trends within the Olympic community that contributed to widespread instances of sexual abuse, Walden said in a news release. The report lists several recommendations aimed to finally and definitively put athlete safety at the center of the USOC and each NGB’s mission.
“Our year-long investigation revealed a number of breakdowns and failures in the system to protect athletes, including in how allegations of sexual misconduct have been handled by the National Governing Bodies — the groups that run individual sports — and the U.S. Olympic Committee,” said Walden.
“Over the course of this bipartisan investigation, the committee spoke with many survivors, and their experiences informed and shaped our work. The Majority Staff Report released today outlines recommendations of robust policies and procedures to put athlete safety first. While it’s clear these organizations have made some strides, more work remains so that our athletes can finally feel safe and protected.”
The report concludes, “The Olympic community has made strides in the last decade to improve athlete safety, including through the use of the Baker Tilly audits and the creation of the USCSS. These efforts have not gone unnoticed. However, vulnerabilities in the system still exist. It is imperative that the USOC, NGBs, and USCSS are proactive to ensure that their policies and procedures, above all else, prioritize athlete safety, and are consistent, followed, and enforced.”
Click here to read the full report online.
Background
In January 2018, bipartisan committee leaders opened their investigation into sexual abuse in organized sports by sending letters to USA Gymnastics, the U.S. Olympics Committee, Michigan State University, USA Swimming, and USA Taekwondo.
In March 2018, bipartisan committee leaders sent letters to the U.S. Olympic Committee, all 48 National Governing Bodies, and Michigan State University.
In May 2018, the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on sexual abuse within the U.S. Olympic Community.
