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U.S. players, including all 23 who are kicking
off their Women's World Cup campaign in New Zealand on Saturday,
said this week that SafeSport is failing to handle abuse claims
adequately after revelations of widespread misconduct in the
women's game.
SafeSport, an independent non-profit organization, was formed
and directed by Congress to respond to and prevent abuse within
the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic movement.
"(Our) mission is consistent with the priorities voiced in your
July 19, 2023 letter to Congress. Ending abuse and misconduct in
sport and keeping athletes safe is all of our priority,"
SafeSport CEO Ju'Riese Colon said in a letter directed to the
U.S. Soccer federation athletes.
Among the players' concerns were SafeSport's so-called
"exclusive jurisdiction," which they said leaves their national
governing body (NGB), U.S. Soccer, without the ability to pursue
their own investigations against abusers.
SafeSport said a "truly independent entity" was necessary to
tackle abuse and misconduct.
"Congress underscored the importance of the Center’s work by
furthering its independence and ensuring it had adequate
resources to do the work that they determined NGBs were
incapable of doing," Colon said in the letter.
Colon added that the center's arbitration process, which the
players said could be "damaging and retraumatizing," was a
necessary part of due process rights.
"We agree the process should be fair and fact-based and are
deeply invested in preventing further trauma that can stem from
participating in the arbitration process," said Colon.
U.S. Soccer did not have an immediate response.
The U.S. women's national team kick off their bid for an
unprecedented third consecutive title on Saturday, as they open
against Group E opponent Vietnam.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Auckland; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
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