New legislation introduced to reform the U.S. Olympic Committee
Corruption and sexual abuse inside the United States Olympic Committee, we’ve heard the outcry from Olympic athletes many of whom say it has existed for decades, yet no one has acted. Now a group of federal lawmakers is teaming up with those athletes to do something about it.
Legislators and Olympians say they have had enough of the USOC not taking action to stop well-documented abuses.
On Monday, they stood together introducing new legislation to make sure our country’s top athletes never feel like they’re going unheard.
U.S. Representative Diana DeGette says the USOC has failed to help athletes, “Our own U.S. Olympic Committee has failed to build a better world for our athletes right here at home.”
Saying for years, the USOC has been more worried about its reputation and finances than it is about Olympian safety, “No number of gold medals are worth putting the health and safety of our athletes at risk.”
Now, she’s introducing legislation that would create a 16 member oversight commission, a body of officials who can dig deep into the inner workings of the USOC, making sure it addresses issues like sexual abuse.
Part of DeGette’s plan is adding at least eight Olympians to the commission, giving them a crucial voice into what and who gets investigated.
Gold medalist Olympian swimmer Barbara Bedford says this is much needed, “We have a lot of amazing athletes and they need representation and that’s what I think we are here today. That’s what I’m here to throw my voice behind.”
The bill is receiving bipartisan support. In the House, the bill is being co-sponsored by Representative Doug Lamborn. A Senate version of the bill was introduced in January of this year by U.S. Senator Cory Gardner. Gardner today says this is not about politics, it’s about solutions.
“Congress and we will have failed the Olympic athletes if we don’t take action to correct a wrong that has, unfortunately, has lasted for far too long,” Gardner says.
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina was also at the press conference. She presided over the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse case and sentenced Dr. Larry Nassar up to 175 years in prison. She says not enough has been done and that needs to change.
“There has been no meaningful change, athletes have no more power at the board level than they had before Nassar,” Aquilina says.
While the press conference was going on, we asked USOC CEO Sarah Hirshland for her thoughts on the legislation.
Hirshland says, “We are excited to work with Congress on both sides of the aisle, and quite frankly, with the Senate and the House to cooperate with the process and make sure that Team USA and the US Olympic and Paralympic movement is as strong as it can be.”
Since the gymnastics sexual abuse scandal in 2018, the USOC has only fired one person. If this bill is passed, we might be seeing bigger changes in the days to come.
If you want to see the full press conference and hear what other Olympians and Paralympians had to say, click here.
