US Senate passes Bill geared to protect athletes

The United States Senate has passed a bill aimed at Congressional oversight of the US Olympic and Paralympic Movements and increasing funding for the United States Center for SafeSport.
According to Inside the Games, the Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act reportedly would establish safeguards designed to protect amateur athletes from abuse from coaches and other officials within Olympic and Paralympic sports.
The bill has been spearheaded by Senators Jerry Moran and Richard Blumenthal, with the legislation instigated in response to the scandal involving USA Gymnastics’ team doctor Larry Nassar, who sexually abused more than 300 athletes over two decades.
“Today the Senate passed Olympic reform legislation I introduced with Senator Blumenthal, marking a critical step towards providing effective safeguards and protections to Olympic, Paralympic and amateur athletes pursuing the sports they love,” Moran tweeted.
“We could not have passed this bill in the Senate today without the input and guidance of the survivors – athletes who travelled to Washington countless times, shared their stories and demanded change.
“While powerful institutions failed these survivors in the past, we aren’t going to.
“We look forward to working with our colleagues in the House and at the White House to get these critical reforms across the finish line – for the survivors and all of our nation’s future athletes.”
The bill, which has received bipartisan support, is now set to move to the House of Representatives.
The Inside the Games publication said the bill would mean Congress would have the right and means to dissolve the ¬USOPC Board of Directors if it finds that it is failing to fulfil its purposes as described in the Amateur Sports Act of 1978. `