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Image: Amateur Athletic Union, via AAUSports.org. Fair use.
Congress has opened a bipartisan investigation into the Amateur Athletic Union’s handling of sexual abuse allegations and its safeguards for hundreds of thousands of children who participate in AAU sports nationwide.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee sent AAU a letter today requesting records on abuse complaints, internal investigations, coach suspensions and bans, and child-safety training. Lawmakers also asked AAU officials to brief the committee on how the organization protects young athletes.
The congressional inquiry follows an investigation by ProPublica and The Washington Post that found AAU failed to implement many of the child-protection reforms it promised after a 2011 sexual abuse scandal.
Congress Wants Records on Abuse Reports and Coach Discipline
The House committee is asking AAU to provide information about how many allegations of abuse it has received and what happens after a complaint is made.
Lawmakers are also examining how the organization decides whether to suspend or ban coaches, whether it recognizes disciplinary actions imposed by other sports organizations and how it administers child-abuse prevention training.
Those questions go directly to concerns raised in the recent investigation about gaps between AAU’s publicly stated safety policies and how those protections have operated in practice.
Investigation Found Promised Reforms Were Never Fully Implemented
AAU announced sweeping child-safety reforms after a 2011 scandal involving allegations against a former top executive.
But ProPublica and The Washington Post found that many of those reforms were never implemented.
Among the findings:
- AAU described abuse-prevention training as mandatory even though participation was not consistently verified.
- An abuse-reporting hotline promoted by the organization reportedly redirected callers to AAU’s general office number without a dedicated option for reporting abuse.
- The organization did not maintain a publicly accessible list of coaches banned for misconduct.
- Some coaches disciplined by other sports organizations continued working with children on AAU-affiliated teams.
AAU said it is committed to protecting athletes through safety policies, identity verification and mandatory background screenings for non-athlete members.
Coaches Banned Elsewhere Allegedly Continued Working With AAU Athletes
One of the most significant findings involved coaches who had been suspended or banned by other sports organizations.
The investigation identified eight coaches who continued working with children on AAU-affiliated teams during the past five years after being banned or suspended by SafeSport or national governing bodies.
That gap exists in part because AAU operates outside the Olympic sports system governed by the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
Congress created SafeSport’s current oversight structure after revelations of widespread sexual abuse in Olympic sports. The organization can investigate allegations and suspend or permanently ban coaches working within sports governed by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
AAU is not one of those national governing bodies and therefore is not automatically bound by SafeSport disciplinary decisions.
AAU Has More Than 100,000 Adult Volunteers
The size of AAU makes those oversight questions especially important.
AAU reported more than 100,000 adult volunteers in 2024 and oversees teams and competitions involving hundreds of thousands of young athletes.
The organization’s broad reach spans sports including basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and track and field.
Unlike many national sports governing bodies, however, AAU does not operate under SafeSport’s full disciplinary framework.
That means a coach barred from one sports system may not automatically be prohibited from working with children through an AAU-affiliated organization.
Investigation Also Examined How AAU Handles Abuse Complaints
The ProPublica and Washington Post investigation raised concerns about the internal process AAU uses to evaluate sexual misconduct allegations.
Serious complaints have been reviewed by an internal Board of Review composed of AAU members. A former longtime board member told reporters that members did not have specialized training in law, investigations or child sexual abuse.
In one case involving allegations against a senior AAU executive, the investigation found that the organization cleared the official without interviewing witnesses or considering another previous allegation.
The reporting also found that AAU registration agreements have included arbitration provisions requiring some disputes to be handled privately rather than through public court proceedings.
Congressional Investigation Could Lead to Broader Youth Sports Scrutiny
The House inquiry is still in its early stages.
Congress has not concluded that AAU violated federal law, and the committee’s request for records is part of its investigation into the organization’s policies and response to abuse allegations.
But the probe could have implications beyond AAU.
The underlying issue is whether children participating in large youth sports organizations receive consistent protections regardless of which governing body oversees their coach or team.
The congressional investigation may also examine whether gaps between AAU and the SafeSport system allow coaches disciplined elsewhere to continue gaining access to young athletes.
AAU has said its safety measures reflect an ongoing commitment to providing a secure environment for athletes.
Related News:
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Varsity Spirit Cheerleading Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Information
Lawsuit Alleges USA Gymnastics and Olympic Watchdog Failed to Stop Coach’s Sexual Abuse
