Purpose:
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Movement is committed to the safety of athletes and participants involved in sport. The USOPC requires background checks in order to (a) foster a safe environment at the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American, Parapan American, Youth Olympic Games, and other international sporting events as designated by the USOPC (collectively the “Delegation Events”), as well as Olympic Training Centers and Training Sites; (b) create a safe living, training, and competition environment for athletes and other individuals associated with NGBs/PSOs/HPMOs (hereinafter “Responsible Sport Organization”); and (c) protect persons at risk, including, but not limited to, minors and vulnerable adults.
This policy sets forth the standards the USOPC has incorporated into its background check policy and outlines the guidelines for the use of background checks for Delegation Events, at Olympic & Paralympic Training Centers, and for interactions with the media, third-party contractors and partner programs. NOTE: Due to reporting and other limitations, information from a background check should not be relied upon as the sole basis for selection, but rather, as an important indicator in the overall selection process.
Policy Statement:
- All USOPC employees, coaches, independent contractors, staff, volunteers, board members, committee and task force members, individuals placed with the USOPC as part of an academic program (including, but not limited to, interns, externs, fellows and clinical students) and other individuals authorized or credentialed by the USOPC to work with athletes or other sport participants while at an Olympic & Paralympic Training Center or Delegation Event to which the USOPC sends athletes.
- All individuals that Olympic & Paralympic Training Centers formally authorize, approve or appoint to (a) serve in a position of authority over or (b) have regular contact with athletes. This shall include, but is not limited to, Olympic & Paralympic Training Center staff, officials, coaches, board members, Page 2 of 4 coordinators, trainers, independent contractors, volunteers, and medical personnel. [1]
- All athletes and alternates, training partners, [2]and guides 18 years of age or older that are selected to participate in the Delegation Events. Individuals referenced in this subsection shall have 45 days after reaching the age of majority (18 years of age), to come into compliance with this background check policy.
- All athletes and alternates, training partners, and guides 18 years of age or older that are selected by a Responsible Sport Organization to train at any Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, or USOPC High Performance Training Center.
- Members of the U.S. Games Delegation who have regular contact with athletes shall include, but is not limited to, coaches, Games Staff (including medical personnel), executives, service providers, guides and volunteers.
- Individuals authorized by the USOPC who have regular contact with athletes at USOPC games operational sites. (Examples: independent contractors – food service, custodial, security, team processing staff and non-accredited performance staff with village guest pass.)
- Other individuals who have regular contact with athletes as determined by the USOPC, in its sole discretion.
- Full background checks will be completed prior to the commencement of a new role or competition for all applicable individuals.
- At a minimum, full background checks will be conducted on all applicable individuals every two years using at least the background check search components referenced in Section III.A of the Background Check Procedures.
- A supplemental, partial, background check will be conducted in the off-years using at least the background check search components referenced in Section III.B of the Background Check Procedures.
Primary Review of USOPC-Initiated Background Checks:
The Background Check Procedures list the criminal offenses (Section IV.B) and driving related information (Section V.A.) that will result in the flagging of an individual’s background check report. All flagged reports shall be reviewed by the USOPC and are subject to the USOPC’s policies and procedures to determine if and to what degree the individual will be: (a) affiliated with the USOPC, (b) granted access to an Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, (c) permitted to participate in a Delegation Event, or (d) granted driving privileges in accordance with the Background Check Policy and Procedures.Secondary Review of Responsible Sport Organization Determinations:
Section VII.C of the Background Check Procedures lists the criminal offenses that may trigger a secondary review by the USOPC. A secondary review is only required when a decision by a Responsible Sport Organization would allow an individual not otherwise covered by this policy to reside, train or compete at an Olympic & Paralympic Training Center3 [3] , or participate in a Delegation Event, despite being flagged by the background check screen for one of the crimes referenced in Section VII.C of the Background Check Procedures. In such an event, the flagged background check report and resulting Responsible Sport 3 The USOPC, at its discretion, may require that any individual who requests access, or has been provided access, to an Olympic & Paralympic Training Center undergo a background check in accordance with this policy. Organization decision will be forwarded to the USOPC for review and be subject to the USOPC’s policies and procedures to determine if and to what degree the individual will be: (a) affiliated with the USOPC, (b) granted access to an Olympic Training Center, or (c) permitted to participate in a Delegation Event.
I. Application
This policy applies to:
II. Timeframe
U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Sites
III. Each U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Site shall require criminal background checks in compliance with the background search components in Section III.A of the Background Check Procedures for those individuals it formally authorizes, approves or appoints (a) to serve in a position of authority over athletes, or (b) to have regular contact with athletes. Upon request by the USOPC, the Training Sites must provide certifications to establish that the mandated background checks were conducted in accordance with the USOPC Background Check Procedures and this policy.
IV. Media
Individuals affiliated with the media, who are authorized or credentialed by the USOPC to access a Training Center, Training Site, or attend a Delegation Event, are required to undergo a criminal background check if they have unsupervised one-on-one interactions with athletes.
Third-Party Vendors/Contractors
Contracts with third-party vendors/contractors that are (a) in a position of authority over or (b) in regular contact with athletes must include the background check requirements set forth in this policy. The contracts shall also specify that certification must be provided by the vendor/contractor upon request by the USOPC, to establish that the mandated background checks were conducted in accordance with the USOPC Background Check Procedures and this policy.
V. Partner Programs
When partnering with community organizations for events, the USOPC shall ensure that the partnership agreement includes language regarding background check requirements. The agreements shall also specify that certification must be provided by the community organization upon request by the USOPC, to establish that the mandated background checks were conducted in accordance with the USOPC Background Check Procedures and this policy.
VI. Background Check Report Review
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- [1] Exemptions:
- All international athletes, coaches, and other personnel staying less than 14 days will be exempt from process.
- [2] Training Partners
- International training partners are exempt from process.
- [3] Access Requests
- The USOPC, at its discretion, may require that any individual who requests access, or has been provided access, to an Olympic & Paralympic Training Center undergo a background check in accordance with this policy.
