Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP)

The U.S. Center for SafeSport (“the Center”), the separate, independent, organization that oversees all sexual misconduct reports in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement created the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies to set a baseline for acceptable safety standards that limit one-on-one interactions between adults and minor athletes.

The Center urged all National Governing Bodies (NGBs) to add restrictions tailored to fit the sport. On April 29, 2019, USA Swimming released its Minor Athlete Protection Policy (MAAPP) addressing one-on-one interactions, social media and electronic communications, travel: local and team, locker rooms and changing areas and massages, rubdowns and athletic training modalities.  All USA Swimming member clubs are required to implement MAAPP in full by June 23, 2019.

Please read the policy along with the educational resources, to assist you and your athlete and our team in implementing MAAPP. There are five parts to the policy.

Training our members in abuse prevention and mandatory reporting is just as important as creating policies. USA Swimming is required to provide regular and consistent training for all adults who interact with and have direct contact with minor athletes, including adult athletes. Starting June 23, 2019, as a condition of membership, all athlete members ages 18 and over must complete Athlete Protection Training.  

Below you will find educational resources to assist you in understanding and implementing these requirements. Join us in our commitment to do more to keep our athletes safe and abuse out of our sport.

Athlete Protection Training Requirement for Adult Athletes

Starting June 23, 2019, adult athletes (18 and over) and Jr athlete coaches will be required to complete the USA Swimming Athlete Protection Training.

USA Swimming requires all adult members to complete Athlete Protection training. Previously, this requirement did not extend to adult athlete members. This training and education requirement is not a part of the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) but is a requirement of USA Swimming membership for adult athletes.

As a membership requirement, adult athletes who are currently 18 and older must complete this training. Adult athletes will be given a 30-day grace period in which to complete the training. Those athlete members who are 17, about to turn 18, must complete this training by their 18th birthday. Successful completion the training, on an annual basis, is now a membership requirement of adult athletes, and failure to complete it will result in an athlete’s inability to swim in a meet or at practice. This is the same membership requirement for all non-athlete members.

An adult athlete will access the same training that non-athlete members must take at www.usaswimming.org/apt  The athlete member will enter his or her name and date of birth to initiate the process and log into the LEARN platform. Once in the LEARN system the athlete will access the Athlete Protection Training. Training for adult athlete members must be completed by July 23, 2019, to be submitted to USA Swimming for the adult athlete member to be eligible to compete after that date.  

An FAQ for Adult Member Athletes is linked here.

Social Media and Electronic Communications

As a reminder, athlete to coach or coach to athlete contact via email or text must include a parent or guardian in the communication. To read more about Social Media and Electronic Communications click here.

As a reminder, cell phones because of their ability to record images are not permitted for use in locker rooms during USA Swimming practices  and meets. Please take a minute to discuss this with your swimmer to make sure they understand this policy.

This page is under development. Please check back often.