In response to the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020 being signed into law, Ju’Riese Colón, Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, released the following statement:
“The Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act substantially strengthens the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s independence and ability to pursue our mission of ending abuse in sport. This law ensures the millions of athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement can continue to have a centralized, safe, and confidential place to report abuse and misconduct. Seeing legislators on both sides of the aisle wholeheartedly support this measure is proof positive that athlete safety is a universal and undeniable priority.
“Consistent funding fortifies the Center’s long-term fiscal sustainability, enabling us to hire additional response and resolution staff to investigate more reports of abuse and misconduct more quickly, increase our oversight of policies and procedures that make athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement safer, and broaden the scope, depth, and reach of our training and education efforts.
“The Center wishes to thank and acknowledge President Donald Trump for signing the bill into law. We also want to recognize the many tireless champions for their leadership and steadfast efforts on behalf of athletes, including bill sponsors Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut); Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Washington); and Representatives Ted Lieu (D-California), Diana DeGette (D-Colorado), Susan Brooks (R-Indiana), Annie Kuster (D-New Hampshire), Michael Burgess (R-Texas), and John Curtis (R-Utah). In addition, we extend our gratitude to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland), Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California), and Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-New York).
“Above all else, we at the Center are grateful to and inspired by the athletes who courageously shared their experiences with the world and brought the need for our work into clear focus. Every day, we wake up driven by our desire to ensure that no athlete should ever again endure what they endured.”
About the U.S. Center for SafeSport
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the U.S. Center for SafeSport is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) responsible for responding to and preventing emotional, physical, and sexual misconduct and abuse in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement. The Center’s mission is to make athlete well-being the centerpiece of our nation’s sports culture through abuse prevention, education, and accountability.
Under the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, the Center serves as the exclusive authority to respond to reports of abuse and misconduct in the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and their recognized National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and Paralympic Sport Organizations (PSOs). The Center also serves as an educational resource for sports organizations at all levels, from grassroots amateur sports organizations to professional leagues. For more information about the Center, visit uscenterforsafesport.org
Published here.
