Education is the most important tool for combating misconduct. Use USA Archery’s U.S. Center for SafeSport resources to help you understand how abuse occurs and what you can do about it. Learn to recognize signs of grooming behavior and boundary violations and know what to do when you suspect a child’s safety is at risk.

The Center's Education & Outreach Office is a national awareness and prevention resource to sports organizations of all levels, from youth to professional. The Center develops and implements programs based on best practices to keep athletes protected from emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

U.S. Center for SafeSport Training

The Core U.S. Center for SafeSport Training is a required 90-minute online course for the following adults at USA Archery and Local Affiliated Organizations* (Collectively referred to as USAA):

Those individuals USAA (a) formally authorizes or appoints (a) to a position of authority over, or (b) to have regular contact with athletes, including, but not limited to, any volunteer, coaches, instructor, judge, administrator, board members, trainers, medical personnel (excluding those who only have incidental and observable contact with athletes at events); and,

Other individuals who have regular contact with athletes as determined by USAA, in its sole discretion and/or as required by USOPC.

*A Local Affiliated Organization is a State Association or local club that is directly affiliated with USA Archery.

To complete the U.S. Center for SafeSport Training, follow these steps:

1. Log into your USA Archery account (https://usarchery.sport80.com/login)
2. Ensure the correct profile is opened (if you have multiple people on your account, ensure you select View on the correct membership card after logging in)
3. Select "Center for SafeSport Training" in the menu under profile (you might have to select Profile to see this dropdown menu)
4. Select Access Training
5. You will automatically be taken to the appropriate course to being training 
6. The course(s) will remain in an Invalid status until complete. You may start a course, stop, logout and come back to your account to complete at a later date. Simply select Access Training to resume the course. 
7. When you have completed this course, the status and type will update within the Platform 
   

Note: Courses can take up to 24 hours to display in the Platform.

A 30-minute Refresher Course is required on an annual basis effective the calendar year following completion of the Core Training

• Refresher Course: Recognizing and Reporting Misconduct
• Refresher Course 2: Preventing Misconduct
• Refresher Course 3
• At the fifth year of involvement, user restarts the four-year cycle by taking Core Training Course

Once a course is complete, your account will automatically update (may not be immediate). For more information on how to complete the course please contact [email protected].

The U.S. Center for SafeSport (“the Center”) accepts all reports affecting the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement involving:

• Sexual misconduct, including, without limitation, child sexual abuse and any misconduct reasonably related to an underlying allegation of sexual misconduct;
• Criminal charges or dispositions involving child abuse or sexual misconduct;
• Misconduct related to reporting where the underlying allegation involves child abuse or sexual misconduct;
• Aiding and abetting when it relates to the Center’s process;
• Misconduct related to the Center’s process;
• And other inappropriate conduct as defined herein. 

The Center has exclusive jurisdiction to investigate and resolve reports affecting the Movement in these categories. All reports of Sexual Misconduct or Child Abuse must be reported to the Center. 

Reports of emotional misconduct, physical misconduct—including bullying, hazing, stalking, and harassment—or violations of the MAAPP may be submitted either to the Center or directly to USA Archery. There are no costs, fees, or other financial barriers associated with submitting a report, and individuals may report anonymously.

IF YOU SUSPECT CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT:

Report it to your local authorities, in addition to (and before) reporting it to the Center. If you are a mandatory reporter, you are required by law to do so: know your state’s specific criteria.

U.S. Center for SafeSport Reporting Line: 833-5US-SAFE

Report a Concern to the U.S. Center for SafeSportReport a Concern to USA Archery

I. AUTHORITY

The U.S. Center for SafeSport (The Center) is recognized by the United States Congress, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) as the official safe sport organization for all Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Para Pan American sports in the United States.

II. ADMINISTRATION AND COMPLIANCE

The Code is administered by the Center. The USOPC, NGBs, and Local Affiliated Organizations (LAOs) must comply, in all respects, with these policies and procedures and shall be deemed to have incorporated the provisions into their relevant policies as if they had set them out in full therein. Participants are responsible for knowing the information outlined herein and, by virtue of being a Participant, have expressly agreed to the jurisdiction of the Center and this Code’s policies and procedures, including those governing arbitration. The Center reserves the right to make changes to the Code as necessary. Once posted online, notice has been provided and changes are effective immediately unless otherwise noted.

SafeSport Code

The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) is a collection of proactive prevention and training policies for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Movement. It has three primary components: an Education and Training Policy, Required Prevention Policies, and Recommended Prevention Policies. The Center developed the MAAPP to assist National Governing Bodies, Paralympic Sport Organizations, Local Affiliated Organizations, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and other individuals to whom these policies apply in meeting their obligations under federal law.

For misconduct to take place, an offender needs privacy, access and control. One way to reduce the risk for abuse is to follow USA Archery’s Minor Athlete Abuse and Prevention Policy (MAAPP) which spells out expectations and creates boundaries for one-on-one interactions.

Minor Athlete Abuse and Prevention Policy

All one-on-one In-Program Contact between an Adult Participant and a Minor Athlete must be observable and interruptible, except in emergency circumstances or with a documented exception or authorized consent form on file.

Consent Forms

USA Archery’s (USAA) Response and Resolution Policy outlines how USAA processes and adjudicates reported allegations of abuse and misconduct that fall within USAA’s jurisdiction and in addition, allegations for which the U.S. Center for SafeSport Center (“the Center”) declines jurisdiction. USAA’s response and resolution process is guided by the U.S. Center SafeSport Code and USAA’s Minor Athlete Abuse and Prevention Policy (MAAPP), Disciplinary Proceedings and Grievance Policy, federal and state laws. USAA is committed to providing an effective athlete safety response process based on fairness, efficiency and neutrality.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport Response & Resolution Office investigates and resolves alleged policy violations for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements’ sport national governing bodies. The Center will report allegations or suspicions of child abuse to appropriate law enforcement. There is no statute of limitations on alleged policy violations involving sexual misconduct. If the Center concludes an individual committed a violation, that person has an opportunity to be heard before an arbitration body.

• U.S. Center for SafeSport Response and Resolution Overview
• USA Archery’s Response & Resolution Policy

Process Flowcharts

Admin Grievance and Right to Compete Process Background Screen Appeal Process Safesport Process (USAA Jurisdiction)

Athlete Safety Dashboard

Suspensions and Bans Centralized Disciplinary Database