Nancy Hogshead-Makar 904-384-8484 Internet Address: [email protected]

Dear Representatives,

We, the undersigned athletes, coaches, sports leaders, as well as athletic, civil rights, religious, sexual abuse, and child protection organizations, urge the members of the House of Representatives to pass the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act. This bipartisan legislation has passed the Senate and represents months of collaboration. Research shows that the more elite the athlete, the more likely they are to be sexually abused by someone within their own entourage. Indeed, during the time that this legislation has been contemplated, some of our country’s best athletes have come forward to disclose their sexual abuse by those designated to protect them. The legislation is necessary to fill gaps in legal protections for athletes not participating in school-sponsored sports. It makes all members of youth-sport organizations that travel across interstate lines mandatory reporters, much like teachers and physicians. The bill makes it easier for victims to recover monetary damages against their molester. It also authorizes the U.S. Center for SafeSport; a fairly new centralized office, that will be formally responsible for investigations and sanctions against sexual abusers. It also removes any doubt that the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, 36 U.S. Code § 220501, et. seq. will not prevent a national governing body, like USA Swimming or USA Gymnastics, from investigating and sanctioning coaches found to have committed sexual abuse. Most important, the legislation will require the members of the United States Olympic movement to address sexual abuse. Previously, when executives and administrators knew serious sexual abuse, they made conscious, deliberate decisions to deny their responsibility for addressing pedophilia and abuse in sport. Some recent stories that better detail the responsibility- shifting in the Olympic movement include:

 Will Hobson and Steven Rich: Every Six Weeks for More than 36 Years: When will sex abuse in Olympic sports end?; An Athlete Accused her Coach of Sex Abuse. Olympic officials stayed on the sideline; and Documents: USOC alerted to sex abuse problems long before taking action, Washington Post.  Tim Evans, Mark Alesia, and Marisa Kwiatkowski: A 20-year toll: 368 Gymnasts Allege Sexual Exploitation, IndyStar.  Alexandra Starr: Pushing the Limit; What the U.S. Olympic Committee can — and can’t — do about sexual abuse, Harper’s Magazine.  Nancy Hogshead-Makar: #MeToo Shows Need for Tighter Rules in Club and Olympic Sports, ESPN.  Diana Nyad: My Life After Sexual Assault, New York Times.  Nancy Armour and Rachel Axon: Executive Director Out at USA Taekwondo After Handling of Misconduct Cases, USOC did not heed sexual abuse warnings in 2004, 2005, and Attorneys Call for USA Swimming Chief to be Fired, USA Today.  Scott Reid: Senate committee to discuss mandatory sexual abuse reporting requirements for youth sports governing bodies, Orange County Register.

Please contact any of us if you have questions or would like to be briefed on this issue. Your support is vital to ensure the safety of our future athletes.

Organizations MassKids; Prevent Child Abuse Massachusetts AAUW Massachusetts Citizens for Children A.C.H.E. Foundation (Abused Children Heard Mission Kids Child Advocacy Everywhere) National Alliance of Social Workers in Sports Alliance of Women Coaches National Coalition Against Violent Athletes Athlete Ally National Consortium for Academics and Sport The Association of Title IX Administrators National Interscholastic Athletic (ATIXA) Administrators Association Atlanta Women for Equality National Organization for Women Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of National Network to End Domestic Violence Children National Women’s Law Center California Women's Law Center Pennsylvania Chapter of Children’s Advocacy Champion Women Centers and Multidisciplinary Teams CHILD USA The Redwoods Group Child’s World America Safe and Sound Campaign Coaching Peace Safely Ever After, Inc. CONTACT Rape Crisis Center Samaritan SafeChurch/SafePlaces ECPAT-USA Sports & Fitness Industry Association End Rape On Campus Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS) Equal Rights Advocates SNAP (Survivors Network of Those Abused Feminist Majority Foundation by Priests) Gender Violence Program; Harvard Law Support Center for Child Advocates School The Crime Victims Center dba Parents for Girls Inc. Megan's Law INOBTR (I Know Better) The Family Tree/Prevent Child Abuse Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport Maryland InSideOut Initiative The Southwest Women’s Law Center KidSafe Foundation Tucker Center for Research for Girls & Legal Momentum, the Women's Legal Women in Sport Defense and Education Fund Turning Point Counseling & Advocacy Center Uri L'Tzedek, Awaken to Justice Page 2 of 8

Upper Ohio Valley Sexual Assault Help Chris Gavagan, Director, Coached into Center, Inc. Silence Documentary West Virginia Foundation for Rape Patricia Dailey Lewis, Esq., Executive Information and Services Director, Beau Biden Foundation for the WomenCAN International Protection of Children Women’s Resource Center Abbie R. Newman, R.N., J.D., Chief Women’s Law Project Executive Officer, Mission Kids Child Wrestle Like A Girl, Inc. Advocacy Rabbi Ari Hart, Founder Uri L'Tzedek, Subject Matter Experts: Awaken to Justice Jetta Bernier, Executive Director, Nancy Hogshead-Makar, Esq., Swimming; Massachusetts Citizens for Children 1980, 1984 Olympic Team, 3 Gold Medals; Linda Crockett, Director, Samaritan CEO, Champion Women Church/Safe Places Jon Little, Esq., Saeed & Little, LLP Diana Cutaia, Founder, Coaching Peace Robert Allard, Esq., Corsiglia, McMahon and Barbara Osborne, Academic and Sports Law Allard, LLP Expert Marci Hamilton, Esq., CHILD USA Sharon Pressman, Executive Director, Diane L. Rosenfeld, Esq., Director, Gender CONTACT Rape Crisis Center Violence Program Harvard Law School Holly Kearl, Founder and Executive Director, Ed Williams, Esq., Biathlon; 1968 Olympic Stop Street Harassment, Expert Gender Team, Former USOC Board Member, Former Violence Issues USOC Athletes Advisory Council Member; Jennifer Reisch, Esq., Legal Director, Equal Stewart Occhipinti, LLP Rights Advocates Brett A. Sokolow, Esq., Executive Director, Courtney Kiehl, Executive Director, A.C.H.E. Association of Title IX Administrators Foundation (Abused Children Heard (ATIXA) Everywhere) Annie E. Clark, Executive Director, End Rape Carrie Hastings, Psy.D., Track & Field, On Campus Hurdler and Sprinter, University of Notre Jody Redman, Passionate Educator, Dame; Licensed Clinical and Sport Advocate, Co-Founder, InSideOut Initiative Psychologist Jess Davidson, Managing Director, End Rape Leslie Heywood, Ph.D., Runner, Professor of on Campus English and Creative Writing, Binghamton Mariah Burton Nelson, MPH, CAE, University, Author, "Pretty Good for a Girl" Basketball; DI Player, Survivor of Abuse in about Sexual Abuse by her Coach Age-Group Swimming, Author, NCAA Kristen Woolley, Founder & Clinical Director, Publication "Staying in Bounds" on Coaching Turning Point Counseling & Advocacy Center Sexual Abuse Bill Clark, CEO, Child’s World America Joanna L. Grossman, Esq., Ellen K. Solender Donna A. Lopiano, Ph.D., USA Softball Hall Endowed Chair in Women and the Law, of Fame; Former CEO, Women’s Sports Southern Methodist University, Dedman Foundation; President, Sport Management School of Law Resources Ed Semansky, Esq., Attorney & Toni Van Pelt, President, National Psychotherapist Organization for Women Matt Moore, PhD, MSW, Vice President, S. Daniel Carter, President, Safety Advisors National Alliance of Social Workers in Sports for Educational Campuses, LLC Dawn Hawkins, Vice President, National Mitch Abrams, Psy.D., Sport Psychologist, Center on Sexual Exploitation Learned Excellence for Athletes John Manly, Esq., Manly, Stewart, & Finaldi Page 3 of 8

Alison Gray, Executive Director; President, U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Pennsylvania Chapter of Children’s Advocacy Association (USOPA) Centers and Multidisciplinary Teams; Martina Navratilova, Tennis; 59 Grand Slam http://penncac.org/ Titles, 9 Wimbledon Singles Championships, Frank Cervone, Executive Director; Support Athlete’s Rights Advocate, Broadcaster Center for Child Advocates; Greg Louganis, Diver, Four-time Olympian, www.SCCALaw.org Five Olympic Medals Rebecca Gundzik, Esq., Gartenberg, Gelfand Lyn St. James, Racecar Driver; Founder, Hayton LLP Project Women in the Winner’s Circle Dan Baum, Chief Strategy Officer and Nancy Lieberman, Basketball; Player and Executive Director; The Redwoods Group Coach in the WNBA; Assistant Coach NBA, Foundation Founder/President Nancy Lieberman Charities John H. Feasel III, Esq., Operations Gary Hall Jr., Swimming; Three-Time Specialist, The Redwoods Group Olympian, Ten Olympic Medals; Olympic Hall of Fame Inductee; Sanford Health Elite Athlete Leaders, including some International Board survivors of abuse: John Naber, Swimming; 1976 Olympic Champion, Former President of the U.S. Han Xiao, Table Tennis, Chair, U.S. Olympic Olympians and Paralympians Association Committee Athletes’ Advisory Council (USOPA) Monica Rowland, Modern Pentathlon; Jessica Mendoza, Softball, 2-Time Olympian, Member, USOC Athlete's Advisory Council 2004, 2008, Gold and Silver Medals, First Eli Bremer, Pentathlon; 2008 Olympian, Woman to Broadcast ESPN’s Saturday Night USOC Athlete, Advisory Council Alternate Baseball Tara Profitt, 1984 and 2012 U.S. Suzette Moran, Swimming, DI College, Paralympian; USOC Athlete Advisory Sexually Abused by Coach Mitch Ivey Council Member, USATT Board Member, Michele Kurtzman Greenfield, Swimming; USATT AAC Chair NCAA Champion, NCAA All-American, Donna de Varona, Swimming; 1960, 1964 Survivor of Coaching Sexual Abuse Olympian, Two Gold Medals, Emmy-Winning Lindsay Garrett, Gymnastics; UC Berkeley Journalist; Women in Sport Advocate, Special Women's team 1995-1998; Survivor of Coach Consultant to the U.S. Senate Sexual Abuse Iris Zimmermann, Fencing; 2000 Olympian; Eliana Yankelev, Track and Field; Varsity Vice President, U.S. Olympians and Athlete at the University of Pennsylvania; Paralympians Association (USOPA) Former GO! Athletes Collegiate Ambassador Micki King, Springboard Diving; 1968 and and SAAC President 1972 Olympic Teams; 1972 Gold Medalist; Jancy Thompson, Swimming; Survivor First Chair, USOC Athlete’s Advisory Advocate, Site Supervisor at Sierra Vista Council; Colonel, U.S. Air Force; Current Child & Family Services, Survivor of Coach Vice President of the U.S. Olympians and Sexual Abuse Paralympians Association (USOPA) Dani Bostick, Swimmer, Coach Sexual Abuse Carol Lewis, Track & Field; 1980, 1984 & Survivor, Teacher 1988 Olympian, Vice President of the U.S. Katie Hnida, Football; First Woman to Play Olympian & Paralympian Association and Score in an NCAA Division I Game; (USOPA) Sexually Assaulted by Teammate Caryn Davies, Esq., Rowing; 2004, 2008 and Betsy Mitchell, Swimming; Olympian, 1984, 2012 Olympic Teams; 2008 and 2012 Gold 1988; Director of Athletics, Physical Medalist; Former Athlete Representative, U.S. Education and Recreation, California Institute Rowing Board of Directors; Current Vice of Technology Page 4 of 8

Keith Brantly, Track and Field, Olympian, Joe Ehrmann, Football, Nine-year NFL 1996 Marathon, Eight-Time USATF National Veteran, Minister, Founder, The InSideOut Road Racing Champion; Coach Initiative. Cynthia Potter, Diving; Three Olympic Wendy Hilliard, Rhythmic Gymnastics; USA Teams; Bronze Medal, 1976; USA Diving Gymnastics Hall of Fame Foundation Trustee; Coach, the Westminster Carol Mann, Golf; LPGA Hall of Fame, Schools in Atlanta, GA Former President of the LPGA and the Linda Muri, Rowing, World Champion 1994, Women's Sports Foundation; Survivor of 1995, 1999; U.S. Rowing National Team Coaching Sexual Abuse Coach Paul Wylie, Figure Skating, Olympic Silver Keith K. Dickson, Swimming; U.S. National Medalist Team Member; Triathlon, USA Triathlon Anne Flannery, Basketball; Former President Coach of the Year & CEO, PE4Life Bridie Farrell, Speed Skating National Team Jennifer Sey, Gymnastics, 1986 National Member, Survivor of child sexual abuse by Champion, Author, “Chalked Up”, Chief Olympian Andy Gabel Marketing Officer, LEVI Strauss & Co. Sarah Powers Barnhard, Volleyball, Hall Laila Ali, Undefeated Four-Time World Fame Player; Coach, Powers Volleyball Club; Champion Boxer; Television Host; Author Survivor Coach Sexual Abuse Diana Nyad, Swimmer, First Person to Swim Jessica Howard, Rhythmic Gymnastics; from Cuba to Key West, Survivor of Coaching Three-Year National Champion, Survivor of Sexual Abuse. Sexual Abuse by Dr. Larry Nassar Christine Tuzi, Volleyball, University of Eva Rodansky, Speedskating; World Cup Southern California; Survivor of Coach Rick 2001 – 2005; U.S. National Team 2003- 2004; Butler Sexual Abuse Research Laboratory Specialist; University of Jessica L. Armstrong, Esq.; Gymnastics, U.S. Michigan, Department of Internal Medicine; National Team Member National Team Coach Engaged in a Sexual Megan Neyer, Ph.D., LPC Diving; 1980 Relationship with Her Rival, Keeping Her Olympic Team, World Champion Springboard From The Olympic Team Champion; fifteen-time U.S. National Debra Grodensky, Swimmer; Survivor of Champion, Neyer Performance Strategies, Sexual Abuse by Coach Andy King LLC; sports and organizational performance Walter Palmer, Basketball; Player coaching and consulting Association Consultant Julie Romias, Volleyball; USA National Jennifer Spiegel, Esq.; Gymnastics, All-Ivy Team; UCLA Varsity Team; Survivor of Champion Sexual Abuse by Coach Rick Butler Bruce Hayes, Swimming, 1984 Olympic Gold Amy Duval, Gymnastics; Varsity Louisiana Medalist State University, Athlete Sexual Abuse Angela Hucles, Soccer, 2004 & 2008 Survivor Olympian, Past President Women's Sports Julie Culley, Track and Field; 2012 Olympic Foundation; Founder and Chief Empowerment Team, Finalist in the 5000m Officer of Empowerment Through Sport Lisa Forrest, Swimming; 1980 Olympian, Hudson Taylor, 3-time NCAA All-American Women's Team Captain; Owner, Evermind Wrestler; Executive Director, Athlete Ally Lanier Drew, Esq., Running; Olympic Trials Kathy Johnson Clarke, Gymnastics; 1984 Marathon Qualifier; Associate General Olympic Team Captain; Silver and Bronze Counsel; Baptist Hospital Medalist, Sports Commentator Joan Pennington, Swimming; World Dominique Moceanu, Gymnastics; 1996 Champion, 1980 Olympic Team, U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist, Author, “Off National Team Member 1978-1983, National Balance” Collegiate Champion Page 5 of 8

Allison Grant Townsend, Swimming; U.S. Randy Reese, Swimming; Hall of Fame National Team Member, Division I Coach, 1980, 1984, 1988 Olympic Coach; Collegiate Athlete Four-Time NCAA Team Champion Bonnie Glasgow, Swimming, National Dia C. Rianda, Swimming, Coach, Faced Champion, Athlete Representative on USA Retaliation was Terminated from Employment Swimming Board of Directors, 1982-1984, for Reporting Sexual Abuse Coach Holly Hatton, Rowing, Olympic Team Jennifer Hooker, Swimming, 1976 Olympic Member 1980; Olympic Team Coach 1988, Team, Collegiate Athletic Administration 1992; Program Director, Bare Hill Rowing Patricia A. Rodowsky, US Speedskating Association Official and Parent of U.S. National Team Charles Howe, Cycling, Coach and former Member USA Cycling Official Shelley Carlisle, Swimming, DI Collegiate Rebecca Carlson, Rugby, DI Head Coach, Karen Moe Humphreys, Swimming; Olympic Quinnipiac University, Three-time National Champion, International Swimming Hall of Champion Fame Swimmer, American Swim Coaches Gary Martin, Speedskating; Level 2 Coach Association Hall of Fame Coach and Competitor Dagny Knutson, Swimming; World Michelle Mitchell, Diving; Olympic Silver Champion, American Record Holder; Coach, Medalist, Diving Coach Grand Canyon University Olivia Gill, Gymnastics, Coach Laura Robinson, Cycling; Canadian National Pamela Boteler, Canoe/Kayak; President, Cycling Team, Former Rowing Champion, WomenCAN International First journalist in Canada to write about sexual Carl Cepuran, Speedskating; Two-time abuse in sport in 1992 USOC Volunteer Coach of the Year; Program Michael H. DiSabato, Wrestling; Big Ten Director, Academy for Skating Excellence at Conference Medal of Honor; Founder & Chief USOC Olympic Training Facility Creative Officer, The College Football Players Edith Rowland, Swimming; Coach Club Kincaid Schmidt, Soccer, Director of Stephanie Vieira, Swimming, Survivor of Coaching, Colorado Youth Soccer Club Childhood and Coaching Sexual Abuse Deb Armstrong; Alpine Ski Racing, Coach Joanna Rees, Gymnastics, Division I, Duke Melissa Price, Soccer; Head Coach, Wellesley University, Managing Partner at West College Shaun Dougherty, Survivor of Childhood Kiha Sutta, Soccer, Assistant Coach, U.S. Sexual Abuse Airforce Academy Chris Mosier, Triathlon; Founder, Stephanie Wheeler, Wheelchair Basketball, Transathlete.com; Team USA Triathlete/ Head Coach, Illinois University Duathlete Dawn Riley, Sailing; Competed in Four Sport Leadership: America’s Cups Kim Pawelek, Track and Field, 4-Time Richard Lapchick, Ph.D., Chair, DeVos Sport Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier, USATF Business Management Program; Director, Marathon National Champion, 2-Time NCAA Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport National Champion Andrew Zimbalist, Ph.D., Chair, Robert A. Woods Professor of Economics Elite Coaches: Megan Kahn, Executive Director, Alliance of Women Coaches Sue Enquist, Softball; Head Coach UCLA for Delise S. O'Meally, J.D., MBA, Executive 27 years; 65 All-Americans and 15 Olympians Director, National Consortium for Academics Founder, CEO ONESoftball.com and Sport Page 6 of 8

Jay Allred, Golf, Publisher of Triad Golf Kyle Kusz, Associate Professor, Cultural Today and Triangle Golf Today Studies of Sport and Physical Culture, Kimberly Churches, Chief Executive Officer, University of Rhode Island AAUW Liz Hanson, Client Director, Athlete Brenda Reimer, Professor, Sport Assessments Management, Eastern Michigan University Kimberly Hadley, Soccer; Vice President of Dejan Gakovic, President, Franklin Park Diversity, International Gay and Lesbian Speedskating Club Football Association; Referee Director, North Nicole LaVoi, Co-Director, Tucker Center for America IGLFA Research for Girls & Women in Sport Caroline Silby, Ph.D., Sport Psychology Ann Walker, Director of Events, Alliance of Consultant to Olympians and Elite Athletes; Women Coaches Author on Women in Sport Topics Laura Myers, Director of Business, Alliance Rene Henry, Assistant to the President of the of Women Coaches USOC 1985-1989; Member of USOC Katie Miles, Membership Engagement Committees 1985-1989: Long Range Strategic Manager, Alliance of Women Coaches Planning Task Force, International Relations, Diana S. Cutaia, Founder, Coaching Peace and Media-Public Relations Chris Voelz, Executive Director, The Terri Lakowski, Esq., Basketball; CEO, Collegiate Women Sports Awards Active Policy Solutions Lisa Thuer, Director of Membership and Eugene Hung, Writer and Activist; Inclusion, Women Leaders in College Sports FeministAsianDad.com Hannah Krieger, Director of Strategic Nancy Gruver, Founder, New Moon Girls Relationships, Alliance of Women Coaches Joe Kelly, Founder, Dads & Daughters Sally Roberts, Founder and Executive Jessica O’Beirne, Producer, GymCastic: The Director, Wrestle Like A Girl, Inc. Gymnastics Podcast Becky Clark, PhD, LCSW-R, CC-AASP, Molly Grisham, Owner, Influence LLC CGRS Licensed Social Jim Osterman, Runner, Author Worker/Psychotherapist International Deaf & Sheilla Dingus, Editor and Writer, Advocacy Disability Sport Consultant; Sport for Fairness in Sports Performance Coach Barbara Dorris, Executive Director, SNAP Frank P. Cervone, Executive Director, (Survivors Network of Those Abused by Support Center for Child Advocates Priests) Brenda Tracy, Survivor of Sexual Abuse Donald C. Wilson, Director, Leader Strategies Advocate Meg Kiihne, Executive Director, Global Teri Wagner Flynn, Executive Producer, Sports Marketing Professional Chief Content Officer, Newsweek Films Robert Denithorne, Swimming; Math Glenn Corso, Speedskating; U.S. Teacher, Mathematics ACCESS Coach Speedskating Masters Committee Chairman Lauren Anderson, PhD, Assistant Professor Leah Fiorentino, Executive Director, of Sports Communication at Lasell College, National Collegiate Equestrian Association Professional Sports Committee Member Nancy Lough, Professor and Program NASWIS Coordinator, University of Nevada, Las Kristen Elechko, Triathlon, Soccer, Lacrosse, Vegas; Director, Graduate Certificate in Basketball, Swimming, Softball/Baseball, College Sport Leadership Gymnastics, Skiing Berit Amalie Esq., Swimming; Senior Vice David Cohen, CEO, Doc Wayne Youth President, Community Relations, General Services Counsel, Special Olympics of Florida Steven Ungerleider, Ph.D., Global Sports Development, International Paralympic Committee Page 7 of 8

Cheryl Cooky, Ph.D., Associate Professor of American Studies, Purdue University Rick Karcher, Esq., Sport Management Professor, Eastern Michigan University Matt Moore, Ph.D., MSW, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Ball State Univeristy Pat Griffin, Professor Emerita, University of Massachusetts Amherst Erin Buzuvis, Esq., Professor, Western New England University School of Law Director, Center for Gender & Sexuality Studies; Founder and Author at the Title IX Blog Sue Sugarman, LCSW, BCD; Therapist, Consultant, Performance Coach Betsy Andreu, Cycling Spouse, Vindicated Witness Against Lance Armstrong

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