Consistent with U.S. Soccer Bylaw 212, Organization Members are required to, among other
obligations,
1) comply with applicable law and, in particular, the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (the “Sports Act”);
2) if the member recruits, trains, fields or funds soccer players, establish a risk management program to promote the safety and protect the welfare of participants; and
3) adopt policies prohibiting sexual abuse.
Effective February 14, 2018, Public Law 115‐126, the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 (the “SafeSport Act”), amends the Sports Act, and requires applicable amateur sports organizations (as such term is defined in the SafeSport Act, 36 U.S.C. § 220530(b)) to:
Comply with the SafeSport Act’s reporting requirements and prohibit retaliation by the applicable amateur sports organization against any individual who makes a
report (36 U.S.C. § 220530(a)(1));
Establish reasonable procedures to limit one‐on‐one interactions between an amateur athlete who is a minor and an adult (who is not the minor’s legal guardian) at a facility under the jurisdiction of the applicable amateur sports organization (36 U.S.C. § 220530(a)(2));
Offer and provide consistent training to adult members in regular contact with minor amateur athletes and, subject to parental consent, to members who are minors, regarding prevention and reporting of child abuse (36 U.S.C. § 220530(a)(3)); and
Prohibit retaliation, by the applicable amateur sports organization, against any individual who makes a report of suspected child abuse. (36 U.S.C. § 220530(a)(4)).
The purpose of this policy is to require an Athlete and Participant Safety/Safe Soccer program as part of each Organization Member’s risk management program and set out standards for such a program.
NOTE: This Policy has been approved by U.S. Soccer’s Board of Directors and will be included for approval by the National Council at the 2019 National Council Meeting on February 16, 2019 in Scottsdale, Arizona and included in U.S. Soccer’s Policy Manual (excepting Notes and Exhibits).
