USA Roller Sports Rolling Toward Improved Athlete Safety

Over the past months, it has been no secret that the fallout from the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal and the ties to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) have been significant. As a result, the USOC has begun the process of implementing new policies and guidelines, through their National Governing Bodies (NGB), to assure that all athletes and the community of the sports they represent are a part of a monumental cultural change in thinking, training, identifying, reporting and preventing sexual abuse.

USA Roller Sports (www.teamusa.org/usa-roller-sports), which is headquartered out of Lincoln, serves as one of the NGBs and has taken a forward approach to embrace the new standards issued by the USOC. The changes include an upcoming bylaws change, continued enforcement of required trainings, enhanced criminal background checks and a significant increase in reporting on even the most minor of issues and suspected cases. In addition, USARS has fully cooperated with any and all investigations that have arisen because of the scandal through the US Senate and House, and the internal investigation of the USOC. As a result all investigations have confirmed that USARS has a strong history of diligent reporting and follow up.

“We accept the new standards fully, as athlete protection, especially when related to youth, simply is not an optional item for debate. It’s a responsibility we simply cannot fail at.” – Eric Steele, executive director, USA Roller Sports.