USA Swimming’s top priority continues to be keeping our athletes safe. No form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, has a place in our sport. As a part of our continued commitment to safeguarding our athletes, USA Swimming has enacted enhancements to our Safe Sport policy and education requirements.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport (“the Center”), the separate, independent, organization that oversees all sexual misconduct reports in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement created the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies to set a baseline for acceptable safety standards that limit one-on-one interactions between adults and minor athletes.

The Center urged all National Governing Bodies (NGBs) to add restrictions tailored to fit the sport. On April 29, 2019, USA Swimming released its Minor Athlete Protection Policy (MAAPP) addressing one-on-one interactions, social media and electronic communications, travel: local and team, locker rooms and changing areas and massages, rubdowns and athletic training modalities.  All USA Swimming member clubs are required to implement MAAPP in full by June 23, 2019.

Please read the policy below along with the educational resources, to assist you in implementing MAAPP.

Training our members in abuse prevention and mandatory reporting is just as important as creating policies. USA Swimming is required to provide regular and consistent training for all adults who interact with and have direct contact with minor athletes, including adult athletes. Starting June 23, 2019, as a condition of membership, all athlete members ages 18 and over must complete Athlete Protection Training.  

 

Safe Sport Resources

Club Tool Kit

How to Deal with Safe Sport Concerns

Club Recognition

Athlete Protection Training

 Free Online Abuse Awareness Prevention Training for Parent