Protecting U.S. Amateur Athletes: Examining Abuse Prevention Efforts Across the Olympic Movement

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HEARING BEFORE THE UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, PRODUCT SAFETY, INSURANCE AND DATA SECURITY ENTITLED "PROTECTING U.S. AMATEUR ATHLETES: EXAMINING ABUSE PREVENTION EFFORTS ACROSS THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT"

Live now on CSPAN1 as well as streaming at this link: https://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/hearings?ID=00E9CF35-560F-4A31-91AD-BFC9DC25A2F6

Among the witnesses scheduled to testify today is Anne Cammett, U.S. Figure Skating president - her 4-page statement can be read here: https://www.commerce.senate.gov/pub...CDED52DA152270.10-01-18-cammett-testimony.pdf

ETA: Mark Ladwig, the current Chair of USFS' Athletes Advisory Committee, is also present at the hearing.
As well as USFS Executive Director David Raith.

 

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Articles related to the hearing last week...

Associated Press: Senator suggests possible end of USOC's tax-exempt status

The USOC does not receive government funding and is a nonprofit, which makes it exempt from taxes. Judges also have ruled that the Ted Stevens Act has given the USOC antitrust immunity. Revoking the USOC's tax-exempt status could potentially take a huge chunk out of an operation that brought in $336 million during the last Olympic year (2016) and uses much of that to provide assistance to athletes, either directly or through sports federations that train them.

Blumenthal ... asked the sports leaders if they'd be willing to increase athlete representation on boards and committees to 50 percent or more; the general standard is about 20 percent. But he was met with resistance.
"It comes down to the competence of the board," said USA Bobsled and Skeleton CEO Darrin Steele. "A competing athlete is looking at four-year increments, and it's difficult to think about long-term strategy when you're actually in midst of the competition."
US Figure Skating president Anne Cammett agreed.
"Part of what you have to look at is the learning and life experiences that come with developing from a young person to an adult," she said. "I think you need a good balance of life experience and knowledge."
Cammett piggybacked on Blumenthal's calls for change, saying the U.S. Center for SafeSport, established to investigate abuse cases in Olympic sports, needs more funding and would also benefit from subpoena power to conduct its investigations.

https://www.wthr.com/article/us-sen...ting-us-athletes-hears-woman-suing-usa-diving

The heads of four Olympic sports governing bodies sat on a panel that answered questions as the subcommittee examines the processes used by the United States Olympic Committee and the national governing bodies for individual Olympic sports to protect athletes from abuse. Survivors of abuse from various sports testified before the televised portion of the hearing.
...
The lack of protection for athletes from sexual abuse prompted these hearings.

"We can never promise that sexual abuse will never happen again,” USA Weightlifting CEO Phil Andrews told the subcommittee. “It's impossible to promise that. What is critical is how we respond."
"When I was young, it's not something that you would talk about,” said U.S. Figure Skating President Anne Cammett. “Now the climate has changed, and we have the ability to educate and let people know that they can come forward."
The U.S. Center for Safe Sports was created to provide sports organizations with abuse prevention policies and programs and give athletes in Olympic and Paralympic sports a safe place to report sexual abuse. But the heads of the governing bodies told the subcommittee Wednesday that response too allegations is too slow.