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Domestic violence has become the hot-button issue in American
sport following a rash of high-profile incidents involving
National Football League players and another case that has
landed close to home for the USOC involving Hope Solo, the
decorated goalkeeper of the U.S. national women's soccer team.
Sexual abuse and domestic violence is not unfamiliar territory
for the USOC.
Last year U.S. Speedskating reached a settlement with a group of
skaters who claimed they were physically and emotionally abused
by a coach while USA Swimming has for years been rocked by child
and sexual abuse scandals.
Solo, an Olympic double gold medalist, faces a November trial on
domestic violence charges but has remained in the national
squad, a decision that has pulled her sport into the domestic
abuse storm that has engulfed the NFL where players have been
suspended until their cases are heard.
In June, the USOC announced the formation of SafeSport, an
independent agency that would provide athletes a place to report
misconduct without fear of reprisal.
"SafeSport gives me pause," admitted Blackmun during a press
briefing following the USOC's general assembly on Friday.
"Everything that we have seen in recent weeks is really just a
microcosm of what is happening out in society generally.
"There is an issue with abuse in society and there is an issue
of abuse in sport and in many cases the opportunities for abuse
in sport exists because of that coach-athlete relationship
"We want to make sure we do what we can. It's not just domestic
violence we look at this from the standpoint of bullying,
hazing, harassment, sexual abuse all the things we see in
society we see in sport.
"Our initiative in Safesport is important to us."
The USOC and national governing bodies have committed $5 million
each to the five-year pilot project while another $5 million is
still needed to set up the agency.
"This is going to be an independent organization and I think
that is an important part of this,” said Blackmun.
"A lot of our athletes are afraid to report incidents of abuse
because the people they have to report them to are also the ones
who are the coaches or hire or control coaches.
"So having an independent organization like this that the
athletes are comfortable coming to is important.
"We took this on because nobody else was stepping up. It is not
easy to raise money but hopefully this concept will resonate
with enough companies, enough philanthropists, enough
foundations that we can get this done."
(Editing by Ian Ransom)
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