Now that all 16 members of the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics have been appointed, Athletes for Equity in Sport stands ready to work with the Commission as it prepares to conduct its work. Under the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020, the Commission is required to submit a report to Congress on the results of its study of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), including detailed statements of research, conclusions, recommendations, and suggested policy changes. AES is encouraged by the opportunity the Commission will provide to conduct a top-to-bottom review on the state of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics and make recommendations to strengthen existing governance structures and improve the experience of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in the future.
Specifically, AES is actively urging Commission members to carefully examine U.S. Center for SafeSport operations and procedures as part of its oversight work and further to make recommendations to Congress for further oversight and/or needed policy changes. SafeSport is a new organization with broad authority and consequential powers and therefore AES believes it is important for SafeSport to be subject to greater oversight to ensure SafeSport is effectively achieving its mission and treating all those under its jurisdiction fairly and equitably. If stakeholders subject to SafeSport’s jurisdiction do not have confidence in SafeSport to fairly and competently fulfill its mission, that undermines the ability of SafeSport to achieve its primary objective which is to improve personal safety and security for athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic sporting community.
AES President Diane Carney stated, “AES and its members are prepared to share our experience and expertise, as well as volunteer our time with regard to issues related to SafeSport, to support the important work of the Commission in any way we are able.” The 16 members appointed to serve on the Commission, ten of whom are current or former athletes, possess broad and extensive experience in Olympic and Paralympic sports and will add significant value and important perspectives that will promote the successful completion of the Commission’s work. The full list of Commission members include: John Dane (sailing); Benita Fitzgerald Mosley (track & field); Nancy Hogshead Makar (swimming); Edwin Moses (track and field); Brittney Reese (track and field); Jordyn Wieber (gymnastics); Patty Cisneros Prevo (basketball); Karin Korb (tennis); Melissa Stockwell (swimming and triathlon); Han Xiao (table tennis); Robert Cohen (USOPC Foundation Board of Directors); Mitch Daniels (president of Purdue University); Bill Hybl (chairman of U.S. Olympic Endowment and President Emeritus of USOPC); Dionne Koller (law professor at the University of Baltimore); Rob Mullens (athletic director at the University of Oregon); and Joe Schmitz (former Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Defense).
Media contact
Diane Carney
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