SafeSport Center ‘in potential crisis’ according to panel’s survey of Olympic system

By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer

A wide-ranging survey into the state of the U.S. Olympic system leveled criticism at the U.S. Center for SafeSport, with a draft report concluding that feedback collected about the 6-year-old agency “paints a picture of a center in potential crisis.” SafeSport Center CEO Ju’Riese Colon was among the Olympic leaders who testified at a hearing in Washington held by the Congressionally appointed Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics. Colon painted an overall positive picture of the center that Congress formed in 2017 to deal with abuse allegations in Olympic sports. But the commission survey of more than 3,000 people said 50.6% of respondents were neutral, disagreed, or strongly disagreed with the question of whether SafeSport was meeting its goals.