SafeSport Center changes targeted in new bill aimed at sex abuse in sports
A bipartisan bill introduced by four members of Congress seeks changes at the U.S. Center for SafeSport
Four members of Congress unveiled a bipartisan bill Friday that would spark changes at the U.S. Center for SafeSport, placing a time limit on resolving cases that can sometimes take years and improving communication between the center and abuse survivors.
The Safer Sports for Athletes Act looks to address some of the bigger concerns that have opened the center to criticism since it was established in 2017 to handle sex-abuse cases in Olympic sports and their grassroots cousins.
The bill has potential for a fivefold increase of an existing grant to the center, bringing it to $10 million a year. But even if the full amount were approved, it wouldn't solve all of the problems.
As before, that grant can only be used for training and education, not investigations and enforcement, which are the focus of complaints about the center, and also of the reforms the lawmakers are seeking.
