From beginner to Olympic athlete, we all share a love for horses that draws us to equestrian sport. At US Equestrian (USEF), we believe that creating a safe environment for us all to enjoy our love for horses is essential. Since 2013, USEF has had policies in place to protect minor athletes from abuse and bullying and all athletes from harassment.

In 2018, the U.S. Congress passed legislation that created new requirements for protecting minor athletes within amateur sports organizations. These requirements include a duty to report suspected child abuse, including sexual abuse, to law enforcement or another organization designated by the Department of Justice and a duty for organizations to provide child abuse prevention training for adult members in regular contact with minor athletes. Effective January 1, 2019, all US Equestrian members 18 years old and older with a Competing Membership are required to complete the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s SafeSport Training in order to be eligible to participate in USEF activities, including competitions.

On April 29, 2019, the USEF Board of Directors approved updates to the USEF Safe Sport Policy and adopted new policies to provide further protections for our members, called the USEF Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention (MAAP) policies. This document provides answers to questions related to the updates to the existing USEF Safe Sport Policy and the new MAAP policies that take effect June 1, 2019.

The USEF Safe Sport Policy is the foundation of our Safe Sport Program and focuses on recognizing, reducing, and responding to abuse in sport.  Updates to the Safe Sport Policy include examples of temporary measures, new nomenclature and definitions, broadening the scope of Prohibited Conduct and incorporation of the MAAP policies. The updated USEF Safe Sport Policy can be found here.

The USEF Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention policies are completely new and are part of a congressional mandate that USEF and other amateur sports organizations and governing bodies implement policies and procedures that limit one-on-one interactions between minor athletes and adults who are not their parent/legal guardian. We designed these policies to work for equestrian sport, but they are based on the uniform policies developed by the U.S. Center for SafeSport that will further protect minor athletes. Under federal law, if USEF Affiliates do not adopt the USEF MAAP policies, they must implement their own policies.

USEF’s MAAP policies affect one-on-one meetings/training, social media, electronic communications (such as text messages and email), travel and more. The USEF MAAP policies document includes examples to explain how the policies can be implemented. They are designed to protect both minors and adults, and sports across the country are enacting similar measures. The USEF Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention (MAAP) policies can be found here.

USEF is implementing equestrian sport specific, proactive policies to prevent the abuse of minor athletes in equestrian sport. USEF’s MAAP policies are based on uniform policies developed by the U.S. Center for SafeSport to assist sport organizations with the federal mandate requiring amateur sports organizations to adopt reasonable policies and procedures to limit one-on-one interactions between minor athletes and unrelated adults. These proactive policies provide guidance to USEF members on how to maintain safe and mutually beneficial interactions between adults and minors both at home and while at USEF-sanctioned events and activities.

USEF recognizes one-on-one interaction with trusted adults is not only healthy and valuable for a child but necessary to the coach/trainer and athlete relationship. USEF’s policies aim to balance this fact with the need to protect children in our sport. USEF understands the majority of child sexual abuse is perpetrated in isolated, one-on-one situations, and by reducing such interactions between children and adults, these policies seek to reduce the risk of child sexual abuse.

The new MAAP policies go into effect on June 1, 2019. All USEF Safe Sport Policy updates are effective immediately.

The following individuals are bound by the USEF MAAP policies:

• USEF members, 18 years old and older, who have regular contact with athletes who are minors;
• Any adult authorized by USEF to have regular contact with or authority over an athlete who is a minor;
• USEF members, 18 years old and older, at a facility that is either partially or fully under the jurisdiction of USEF, including USEF-licensed and -endorsed competitions, USEF training sessions, and USEF clinics and observation events;
• USEF Licensed Officials; and
• USEF staff and board members.

These policies are proactive and intended to prevent abuse. Thus, USEF recommends following these policies at all times. However, the only proactive policies that are required to be followed outside of USEF-sanctioned or -sponsored activities are the Social Media and Electronic Communications Policy, Local Travel Policy and Team Travel Policy.

Reports of policy violations are resolved through the same process as USEF rule violations. It should be noted that these are proactive policies. As such, USEF seeks to educate when appropriate and discipline only when necessary.

USEF is responsible for enforcing these proactive policies and will do so in the same manner we enforce all rules. USEF expects the equestrian community will safeguard these standards and report non-compliance of these policies.

Competition organizers and officials are expected to enforce the USEF MAAP policies when they are aware of non-compliance and the behavior can be immediately corrected. For specific questions, please contact Sarah Gilbert, USEF’s SafeSport Program Coordinator, at [email protected] or 859.225.6915.

Yes. All amateur sports organizations participating in interstate or international athletic competition and whose membership includes any adult who is in regular contact with minor athletes is required by federal law to implement policies and procedures that limit one-on-one interactions between minor athletes and adults who are not their parent/legal guardian. Therefore, if USEF Affiliates do not adopt the USEF MAAP policies, they must implement their own policies.