Reporting a Safe Sport Complaint

Please see the USATF Safe Sport Handbook for USATF’S Safe Sport reporting policy. Below are USATF’S procedures for reporting allegations or observations of misconduct or other inappropriate behavior. Please note, neither criminal nor civil statutes of limitations apply to reporting a Safe Sport complaint.

Where to Start with My Concern

Contact your local authorities if you have a reasonable suspicion that child sexual abuse or neglect has occurred. All reports of child abuse or sexual assault of a minor must also be reported to local authorities. Reports of abuse not involving a minor may also be reported to local authorities.

Please use these guidelines to help you on the first step of reporting:

• If your concern deals with any of the following, please contact the U.S. Center for SafeSport to make a report. (Use the online reporting form, call 833-5US-SAFE (587-7233), or find more information here).
  • Child sexual abuse
  • Sexual misconduct
  • Non-consensual sexual conduct
  • Sexual harassment
  • Intimate relationships involving an imbalance of power
• If your concern deals with any of the following, please fill out and submit the reporting form, or contact USATF to make a report. (See the How to Report section below, call (317) 713-4688, text (833) 9-USATF (987-2834), or email usatfsafesport@usatf.org. Find more information here).
  • Physical or Emotional misconduct
  • Bullying
  • Harassment
  • Hazing
  • Any other violation of USATF’s Safe Sport Handbook

To Whom to Report

For concerns of child sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, non-consensual sexual conduct, sexual harassment, or intimate relationships involving an imbalance of power, all individuals should report concerns to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, as well as notify USATF that a report(s) was made.
 
For concerns of physical or emotional misconduct, bullying, harassment, hazing, or any other violation of USATF’s Safe Sport Handbook, all individuals should report concerns to USATF. Please note, neither criminal nor civil statutes of limitations apply to reporting a Safe Sport complaint. In addition, individuals may, and in many cases must, report any allegation of child physical or sexual abuse to relevant law enforcement authorities.

How to Report

To report to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, you may use the online reporting form, or call 833-5US-SAFE (587-7233).

USATF will take a report via a reporting form. A report may also be made over the telephone by calling (317) 713-4688, by text at (833) 9-USATF (987-2834), or by email at usatfsafesport@usatf.org. USATF will withhold the complainant’s name, upon request, to the extent permitted by law.

If reporting a concern by email, it is helpful to USATF for individuals to provide the following information when filing a report:

1. Name of individual you are reporting;
2. Age or approximate age of individual you are reporting;
3. Gender of individual you are reporting;
4. Address of individual you are reporting;
5. Position(s) this individual holds/held;
6. Club/Association where individual works and/or volunteers or worked/ volunteered previously;
7. Type of offense (what happened? Please be as detailed as possible);
8. Where did the incident(s) take place;
9. Victim name (if you are the victim and want to remain anonymous, you may do so);
10. Age or approximate age of victim;
11. Club/Association affiliation of victim;
12. Contact phone number of victim (or guardian if victim is under 18);
13. Contact email address of victim (or guardian if victim is under 18);
14. Victim gender;
15. Complainant’s name (you may remain anonymous if you wish; however, providing your information is vastly helpful to a swift and effective investigation. A person reporting alleged misconduct should not fear any retribution and/or consequence when filing a report he or she believes to be true);
16. Complainant’s phone number;
17. Complainant’s email address;
18. Complainant’s club/Association affiliation;
19. Complainant’s relationship to the victim or the incident; and
20. Any other information that would be helpful to an investigation of the alleged offense you have reported.

Please note, neither criminal nor civil statutes of limitations apply to reporting a Safe Sport complaint.

What Should I Expect After I’ve Reported My Concern?

If you’ve reported a concern to USATF either through the email, online reporting form, or text, you can expect the following:

• Your concern will be directed to the appropriate Safe Sport contact who will investigate the complaint.
• Once a determination has been made, USATF will notify the parties accordingly, and USATF will take further action if appropriate and warranted.
• The investigation will be closed for all matters pertaining to the complaint.
• A follow-up will be conducted to ensure bad behaviors are not persisting, retaliation or punishment has not been an issue, and to follow-up on any outstanding questions or issues.
• If you’ve reported a concern to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, a representative will assist you in your case.

Any questions can also be sent to usatfsafesport@usatf.org.