SafeSport Education Policy

  
  


Background Information:


While criminal background checks are a vital and helpful risk management tool, they only prevent individuals with a criminal history from gaining access to the sport and to our youth.  There are still many individuals without a criminal record that pose a risk to our youth and our sport.  To exemplify this point: It is believed nearly 90 percent of sexual offenders would not be screened out by virtue of their criminal history because they do not have convictions for sexual offense crimes.  This statistic punctuates the challenge in screening out dangerous individuals from our sport and displays the need for a comprehensive athlete protection program.

The USA Cycling SafeSport program takes a comprehensive approach, incorporating multiple strategies aimed to strengthen program security and athlete/member safety.  In conjunction with policy changes and criminal background checks, the SafeSport program utilizes an education and training component to strengthen our members' knowledge and understanding of healthy professional boundaries and how to minimize high risk situations.

To ensure USA Cycling staff and applicable members are trained and educated on how to identify boundary violations and potential misconduct and abuse violations, USA Cycling adopts the following Education and Training Policy:


1. Introduction

 
Education is a key component of any abuse and misconduct prevention strategy. The required education provides participants with information necessary to more effectively monitor their organization/team, minimize the opportunities for physical and sexual abuse and other types of misconduct, and respond to concerns.It is also a strong public statement that the organization places a priority on athlete safety.
 
USA Cycling’s Code of Conduct and Athlete Protection Policy requires individuals bound by those documents to report abuse, misconduct and violations of its safety policies.To enable and empower those individuals to do so, they should have a basic understanding of sexual abusers and the strategies that offenders use to seduce their victims.
 
It is the policy of USA Cycling that those individuals who are formally authorized, approved or appointed (a) to a position of authority over, or (b) to have frequent contact with athletes, shall complete appropriate training about child physical and sexual abuse and other types of misconduct before having contact with youth participants.
 

2. Individuals required to complete SafeSport Education

 
USA Cycling shall require biennial completion of the USOC SafeSport Education by the following participants:
 
  • USA Cycling Staff
  • USA Cycling licensed Coaches and Officials
  • UCI Support License categories:
    • Managers
    • Sports Directors
    • Assistant Sports Directors
    • Soigneurs/Trainers
    • Team Doctors
    • Coaches (Must be a USA Cycling Licensed Coach)
  • Collegiate Conference Directors
  • LA Presidents and other members identified by the LA where the LA formally authorizes, approves or appoints
(a) to a position of authority over, or
(b) to have frequent contact with athletes.
  • Independent contractors USA Cycling formally authorizes, approves or appoints
(a) to a position of authority over, or
(b) to have frequent contact with minor athletes.
 

3. To Take the Training


Please visit this page for registration instructions for the U.S. Center for SafeSport's training.
 

4. SafeSport Training Requirement


Completion of SafeSport training every two (2) years is a requirement for continued membership with USA Cycling for those roles/positions listed in section two (2) of this policy.
 
Members, whose role/position is listed in section two (2) of this policy, and are purchasing a license before June 30, 2014 must complete SafeSport training by July 1, 2014 and biennially afterwards.Failure to comply by the stated deadline will result in the license being pended until the training has been completed and USA Cycling has received confirmation.
 
Members, whose role/position is listed in section two (2) of this policy, and are purchasing a license on or after July 1, 2014 must complete SafeSport training prior to purchasing a membership and biennially afterwards.Failure to complete this training requirement will result in the license being pended until the training has been completed and USA Cycling has received confirmation.
 
Failure to renew the biennial training requirement within thirty (30) days of the previous training’s expiration date will result in the license being pended until the training has been completed and USA Cycling has received confirmation.
 

5. Recommendations to Local Associations and Clubs


USA Cycling has implemented an Education and Training Policy to strengthen its athlete safety program and to ensure the environments in its athletic programs are as safe as possible at every level.The education component required by USA Cycling provides participants with information necessary to more effectively monitor their organization/team, minimize the opportunities for physical and sexual abuse and other types of misconduct, and respond to concerns.It is also a strong public statement that the organization places a priority on athlete safety.
 
While our members’ clubs and organizations are not operated by USA Cycling, and USA Cycling does not control their activities, we provide information about various safety-related actions which may be available to our members, and encourage our members to use these resources.
 

Local Associations

Effective during calendar year 2014, USA Cycling requires all Local Associations to create or adopt an education and training policy.LAs are encouraged to adapt and adopt the existing USA Cycling Education and Training Policy; if drafting its own, USA Cycling highly recommends each LA confer with USA Cycling’s Risk Protection Manager.
 
Furthermore, LAs shall require biennial completion of the USOC SafeSport training for the President/Executive Director (or similar position) and any person that is formally authorized, approved or appointed by that LA (a) to a position of authority over, or (b) to have frequent contact with athletes.For purposes of clarification, a LA is considered to formally authorize, approve or appoint an individual in instances where the LA has control over the appointment process.
 

Clubs

USA Cycling highly recommends each club, especially clubs with a junior component, examine their club’s needs for education and training and create or adopt an education and training policy in accordance with the standards USA Cycling has set forth. Clubs are welcome to adopt and adapt the existing USA Cycling Education and Training Policy; if drafting its own, USA Cycling highly recommends each club confer with USA Cycling’s Risk Protection Manager.
 
Furthermore, it is highly encouraged for clubs to require biennial completion of the USOC SafeSport training for the Coach or Team Director (or similar position) and any person that is formally authorized, approved or appointed by that club (a) to a position of authority over, or (b) to have frequent contact with athletes.For purposes of clarification, a club is considered to formally authorize, approve or appoint an individual in instances where the club has control over the appointment process.


This Article Updated January 4, 2018 @ 06:23 PM For more information contact: