Safety

The safety of all our USABA athletes, members and participants is of paramount importance to the sports we govern and the organization. USABA’s Athlete Safety Policy provides further information on safety expectations, requirements, and compliance measures.

U.S. Center For SafeSport

Please visit the U.S. Center for SafeSport website for the most recent Code and other resources. 

uscenterforsafesport.org

Training:

SafeSport Training is available through your membership portal via Sport80.

The USABA Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy requires the following Adult Participants (i.e: participants 18 years of age or older) to complete SafeSport Trained Core Course (or the appropriate sequential Refresher Training):

• Adult Participants who have regular contact with any amateur athlete(s) who is a minor;
• Adult Participants who have authority over any amateur athlete(s) who is a minor;
  • This may include volunteers, medical staff, trainers, chaperones, monitors, contract personnel, bus drivers, officials, adult athletes, staff, board members, or any other individual who meets the Adult Participant definition.
• Adult Participants who are an employee or board member of USABA.
• Adult Participants who are medical providers required to take training under Section (a) of the MAAPP can take the Health Professionals Course in lieu of the SafeSport Trained Core Course.

The Center offers training for Parents and/or Minor Athletes regarding the prevention and reporting of child abuse is available through your Sport80 profile which links directly to The Centers safesporttrained.org portal.

Training for Parents and Minor Athletes

The Center for SafeSport offers a Parent Toolkit that provides tips and information for supporting a positive sport experience for children.

SafeSport Parent Toolkit

Parents of Preschool Children
Parents of School-Age Children
Parents of Middle School Youth
Parents of High School Aged Adolescents

Reporting

An individual who wishes to report a concern about violations of USABA policies or the SafeSport Code, including all allegations of alleged sexual misconduct, physical misconduct, emotional misconduct, or violations of the USABA Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy should report the concern to (a) USABA’s Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director, (b) USABA’s Athlete Representative, (c) the USOPC Director of Athlete Safety, (d) the U.S. Center for SafeSport (with respect to misconduct within the U.S. Center’s exclusive or discretionary jurisdiction).  There are no fees or costs to report a concern.  In addition, all concerns about misconduct involving child abuse, sexual assault of a minor, or other crimes should also be reported to local law enforcement authorities.  

Reports of allegations of alleged sexual misconduct are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Center for SafeSport and reports of such shall be directed to the Center.

(a) and (b): Report alleged violations of the USABA Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy and any other misconduct regarding USABA Athlete Safety policies to the CEO of USABA and/or to the USABA Athlete Representative:

• Phone: (719) 866-3224 (calls directed to Chief Executive Officer or Athlete Representative)
• Email: Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director or Athlete Representative

(c):  Report misconduct to USOPC Director of Athlete Safety involving USABA’s role as a USOPC Multi-Sport Organization or with USABA’s role as an National Governing Body (NGB) for goalball or soccer:

• Phone: (719) 866-3869
• Email: safesport@usopc.org
• Online: https://www.teamusa.org/SafeSport-Reporting-Form

(d):  Report any misconduct within the U.S. Center’s exclusive or discretionary jurisdiction to the US Center for SafeSport. Reports of allegations of alleged sexual misconduct are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Center for SafeSport and reports of such shall be directed to the Center.

• Phone: By Phone at 720-531-0340, during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM MT –
  5:00 PM MT.) or toll-free at 1-833- 5US-SAFE [1-833-587-7233] (24-hours per day, 7-days per week)
• Online: https://uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern/

Anonymity and confidentiality:  Reports to USABA or the U.S Center may be made anonymously.  However, reporters are encouraged to identify themselves in order to facilitate investigation of the alleged misconduct.  In addition, USABA will keep the identity of any reporter confidential to the extent permitted by law at the request of the reporter.  If a report is associated with USABA’s role as a USOPC Multi-Sport Organization or with USABA’s role as a USOPC NGB for goalball and blind football (soccer), reports shall be made to the USOPC and any applicable legal agencies as appropriate.

Bad faith reporting: Reports of abuse, misconduct or policy violations that are malicious, frivolous, or made in bad faith are prohibited. Depending on the nature of the allegation, a person making a malicious, frivolous, or bad-faith report may also be subject to civil or criminal proceedings.

A link to report complaints or accusations will be included on the USABA website on the Safety Initiatives page in a prominent place along with links for training materials. A list of Suspended Members based upon the confirmation of misconduct decided during an investigation by the USABA Ethics & Judicial Committee will be available on the USABA website on the Safety Initiatives page in a prominent place.

Mandatory reporting: The SafeSport Code sets out a number of mandatory reporting requirements under which adult participants in USABA activities must report certain types of concerns to the U.S. Center.  Specifically, an adult participant must make a report to the U.S. Center if the participant learns of information or reasonably suspects an incident of misconduct involving Child Abuse, including Child Sexual Abuse, Sexual Misconduct, Criminal Charges or Dispositions involving sexual misconduct or misconduct involving minors, and misconduct related to the U.S. Center’s process including Aiding and Abetting and Abuse of Process, and Retaliation. 

With respect to incidents of Child Abuse and Child Sexual Abuse, the ADULT participant must also comply with any federal and/or state reporting requirements [see https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/responding/reporting/ and report the information to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.

In addition, ADULT participants must report  any incident of emotional or physical misconduct (including bullying, stalking, hazing and harassment) or any violation of USABA Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy either to USABA or to the U.S. Center. 

HOW TO REPORT

USABA and USOPC will accept a report in whatever way is most comfortable for you including an anonymous, in-person, verbal, or written report. Regardless of how you choose to report, it is helpful if the report includes the following information:

• name(s) of the complainant(s);
• type of misconduct alleged;
• name(s) of the individual(s) alleged to have committed the misconduct;
• approximate dates the misconduct was committed;
• names of other individuals who might have information regarding the alleged misconduct; and
• a summary statement of the reasons to believe that misconduct has occurred.

ANTI-RETALIATION                                                                         

No individual who in good faith reports a violation of the SafeSport Code or applicable USABA policies shall suffer harassment, retaliation or adverse membership consequences.   “Retaliation” as used in this policy includes threatening, intimidating, harassing, coercing or any other conduct that would discourage a reasonable person from engaging or participating in USABA’s activities or processes when the action is reasonably related to the report or engagement with USABA. Retaliation may be present even where there is a finding that no violation occurred, but “retaliation” does not include good-faith actions lawfully pursued in response to a report of a violation.  In addition, no individual covered by the SafeSport Code nor USABA itself shall take or threaten to take any action against an athlete as a reprisal for disclosing information to or seeking assistance from the Office of the Athlete Ombuds as outlined in the Ted Stevens Act, Section 220509(b)(5).  This prohibition on retaliation bars retaliation before, during, and after administration of any of the processes identified in this policy within USABA or the U.S. Center.

An individual who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of membership.  Any alleged act of retaliation must be reported to USABA, which will handle the allegation of abuse in accordance with its internal procedures for the resolution of complaints unless the retaliation involves a matter within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Center, in which case the report will be filed with the U.S. Center for resolution under its authority.

U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Response and Resolution Policy

Download the USABA Response and Resolution Policy as of February 12, 2026.

U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Athlete Safety Policy

Download the USABA Athlete Safety Policy as of November 19, 2025

U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Athlete Safety Quality Control Policy

Download the USABA Athlete Safety Quality Control Policy as of February 12, 2026.

U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies

Download the USABA Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies updated on December 13, 2024.

Suspension & Other Measures
Lukas Horton (temporary suspension effective 2/5/2021. Suspension effective until 2/5/2028)