Athletes Re-Victimized: An Investigation into the U.S. Center for SafeSport

A Restoration News Investigation

After a heinous high-profile case of serial sexual abuse in 2016 by the USA Gymnastics doctor, Larry Nassar, Congress was pressured to take swift action with legislation meant to stop the sexual abuse of athletes. Yet corruption and mismanagement have plagued their creation, the U.S. Center for SafeSport, since 2017—the very organization established by law to ensure abuse never happens again.

It began with good intentions. Nassar was a monster accused of sexually abusing more than 260 female athletes—many of them minors—when he was supposed to be providing medical treatment. An FBI investigation found Nassar in possession of over 30,000 images of child pornography. Ultimately, he pleaded guilty to child pornography and seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He was sentenced to up to175 years in prison.

SafeSport was created to ensure athletes never suffer like his victims again.

Instead, the organization stands accused of ruining lives, victimizing innocents, and even violating the constitutional rights of everyday Americans as if they were Nassar-like abusers.

Because of its congressional charter, SafeSport enjoys widespread reach capable of affecting athletes and coaches in every community and at every level nationwide. People claim they are being falsely accused and placed on SafeSport’s public disciplinary website without due process. That's doubly concerning given the shocking incompetence of SafeSport's leadership, some of whom have used their influence to push a social justice agenda that go far beyond Congress' original mandate.

For just a single example, take Jason Krasley, an investigator hired to interview sexual assault victims who should have never been allowed to work anywhere in the organization.

After three years as a SafeSport investigator, Krasley was arrested and charged earlier this year with multiple sex crimes including felony rape, sex trafficking, and soliciting prostitution.

This should not have been a surprise to SafeSport leadership. Krasley had been fired from his previous job as a police officer and was under investigation for allegations of harassment and theft. Despite being informed of these allegations, SafeSport not only employed Krasley but paid for his travel and attendance at a week-long training session for all employees at the organization's headquarters. The training featured after-hours social events with food and drink vouchers that employees were strongly encouraged to attend.

These revelations triggered a congressional inquiry in April 2025 that led to SafeSport firing CEO Ju'Riese Colon.

Incredibly, the Krasley case is just the tip of the iceberg.

In this Restoration Investigation, we expose the horrifying details that should lead to congressional inquiries and—if the victims get justice—repeal of the law that established SafeSport eight years ago.

Unintended Consequences

Congress started out with lofty intentions. Lawmakers—responding to the Nassar scandal—passed the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, which established the U.S. Center for SafeSport as an oversight organization for preventing future abuse of amateur athletes. "By putting new safeguards into law to protect athletes from abuse," said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), "we’re sending a message that this cannot and must not happen again."

In the years since, however, the majority of cases processed by SafeSport have had nothing to do with sexual abuse. Many innocent people have had their lives and reputations ruined by being placed on SafeSport's public disciplinary database, often without any proper investigation or constitutional due process.

This is possible because of its vast reach: Any adult or child who has competed or coached in any sport at the local club level likely has a requirement of membership in an organization that has oversight by SafeSport. That's practically every amateur athlete or coach in the nation, any of whom could be investigated for misconduct by SafeSport—without being made aware of the fact.

For example, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has National Governing Bodies (NGBs) totaling over 11 million members. They include USA Swimming, USA Tennis, USA Soccer, USA Gymnastics, USA Wrestling, and more. Virtually any local, non-professional sports club with the requirement for coaches or participants to sign up for membership with the NGB must abide by SafeSport's rules and oversight.

Done with care and prudence, that would be an important protection for victims and tool for identifying bad actors. Done wrong, it can easily lead to disaster—as happened with amateur gymnast Abbie Hillis. 

When Hillis was around 13 years old her coach, Barry Hyder, made the gymnasts model his ex-wife’s lewd clothing for him in the gym. Hyder would also demand the girls jump up and down on the trampoline so he could watch their breasts bounce.

No one reported Hyder because they didn't want to lose access to the gym where Olympian athletes train, she told Restoration News. The statute of time limitations had passed, so they couldn't refer him to police for criminal investigation. So in July 2020, Hillis and other victims reported Hyder to SafeSport foralleged sexual abuse.

SafeSport was slow to respond, but did eventually assign investigators to interview Hillis, who later recounted how impressed she was with their kindness, thorough questioning, and regular communications. Then, suddenly, she stopped hearing from them altogether.

Hillis later learned that these investigators were actually employees of Diligence, LLC, a firm hired by SafeSport to address its growing backlog of claims.

Then one day Hillis received a call from a new investigator claiming he needed to reinterview her. She ultimately learned through a reporter that SafeSport suffered a major computer hack causing the loss of her confidential information, along with others. Many victims dropped their cases because they didn’t want to be further victimized by more interviews. Diligence was let go by SafeSport but they were not provided a reason.

Finally in 2024, four years after Hillis’ complaint, SafeSport declared Barry Hyder permanently ineligible to coach.

The Hyder scandal also reveals the poor decisions made by SafeSport leadership. We spoke with multiple former investigators from Diligence, a company comprised of distinguished lawyers, former judges, retired military officers, and retired federal agents. Many expressed deep reservations about SafeSport's mishandling of confidential documents, unsecure data, lack of due process, and repeated revictimization of sexual assault victims.

Bruce Smith, a former Diligence investigator who previously served as a federal judge and military lawyer, told Restoration News that his colleagues were concerned about SafeSport's disregard for the "integrity of investigations and the due process of law afforded . . . to respondents who had been accused of misconduct."

"We were shocked that SafeSport housed its server, housing thousands of investigation files, all containing highly confidential and sensitive personal information, in an unsecured pantry adjacent to a common eating area within the SafeSport headquarters," Smith said.

Diligence communicated their concerns about computer security early on to SafeSport's senior leadership. Among those problems: the organization's server had virtually no cybersecurity to protect against a major hack.  

SafeSport officials reportedly told them to mind their own business.

Several months later, the SafeSport system was hacked by ransomware and all their confidential, sensitive files were apparently stolen, according to Smith.

Diligence revealed that SafeSport had years-long backlogs of thousands of abuse cases. These experienced investigators were able to appropriately process the case backlog but were inexplicably  pushed out by SafeSport leadership. One investigator believes because SafeSport leadership fearing being exposed as incompetent.

Smith also believes SafeSport was driven by a social justice ideology.  Many senior SafeSport officials, he said, came from "the ranks of university Obama-era Title IX personnel"—a system he pointed out "was routinely rebuked in the federal courts for its systemic denial of due process to respondents."

There was also significant turnover in key leadership positions since the group's inception in 2017—including in the Response and Resolution Department, responsible for investigations and prosecution of misconduct—Smith said. The tenures of SafeSport's three different CEOs were each marked by interpersonal turmoil and controversial decision-making throughout the organization.

Overstepping its Authority

One challenge lies in the legislation that established SafeSport. Despite being chartered by federal law, it is a private nonprofit rather than a federal administrative agency—giving it wide latitude to draft its own practices, procedures, and policies with little meaningful oversight. Under that law, SafeSport is permitted to "exercise jurisdiction over the corporation and each national governing body with regard to safeguarding amateur athletes against abuse, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, in sports." However, when it comes to reporting, investigating, and resolving specific complaints, SafeSport is only given authority over sexual abuse cases. The NGBs have authority to investigate non-sexual abuse cases.

It's in effect an unregulated organization with broad regulatory powers—and no public accountability.

The only real oversight requirement is the Center for SafeSport's annual self-report to Congress on its finances, complaints, and investigations. What's missing: An independent, third-party audit of the group itself.

The law governing SafeSport is clear: It must provide due process including written notice of allegations, an opportunity to be heard during an investigation, and the ability to challenge measures or sanctions imposed by SafeSport. Yet that doesn't appear to be happening. SafeSport publishes a centralized disciplinary database on its website. Anyone placed on the list is certain to be negatively affected, rightly or wrongly—they are punished and publicly shamed without due process.

Yet its 2024 audit reveals the group is actively investigating allegations not involving sexual abuse—clearly overstepping its legal limits. SafeSport wrongly claims it has "discretionary authority to investigate other forms of misconduct such as emotional and physical misconduct." In 2024, only 20 percent of the allegations investigated by SafeSport were related to sexual misconduct, according to its own audit.

Restoration News contacted one individual listed on the database who happens to be in law enforcement, whose name will remain anonymous to protect her identity. Until recently, she was unaware that her name appears in the disciplinary database. (Restoration News confirmed she is an active law enforcement officer who would've been required to pass a background check to obtain her current position.)

Not surprisingly, this individual was deeply concerned about the repercussions—not least because she's never been accused of sexual abuse.

When she submitted paperwork to become a referee earlier this year, she was notified that due to a past assault misdemeanor from a fight many years prior she had to undergo additional training requirements to be certified. She chose not to further pursue the approval to become a referee due to time constraints. Yet SafeSport still added her to their disciplinary database for "abuse of process."

According to this individual, that was her sole interaction with any organization associated with SafeSport. After being notified by Restoration News about her inclusion in the database, she's now considering legal challenges to SafeSport's alleged violation of her right to due process.

Pushing Social Justice Ideology

There are no requirements of who is eligible to lead this sensitive organization, which has contributed to its downfall. Ju'Riese Colon was the CEO of SafeSport from July 2019 until she was fired in April 2025. Prior to her departure, her salary was $400,000. Those familiar with Colon say her exit was long overdue.

Colon pushed a social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda through the SafeSport organization. Internal emails obtained by Restoration News reveal messages sent by Colon to SafeSport staff encouraging them to watch a TED talk on how to be an "ally" for racial justice. Colon's email then elicited replies from other employees sharing social justice links such as "resources for white parents to raise anti-racist children" and "how studying privilege systems can strengthen compassion." Emails also encouraged employees to attend left-wing protests in Denver.

 In 2020, Colon served on the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) Race, Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force as a representative of SafeSport. SIGA is a global organization that uses its platform of promoting integrity in sports to push a racist political agenda—including race-based hiring in sports organizations and mandatory unconscious bias training for all employees.

April Holmes, a former Paralympian, became SafeSport's board chair in 2023 and later interim CEO after Colon was fired, despite her complete lack of executive career experience and documented history of financial trouble. Public records show she has over $100,000 worth of tax liens—which ought to have disqualified her from leading such an influential regulatory organization.

In March 2025, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) sent Holmes a letter detailing the lack of oversight provided by SafeSport's board of directors under her tenure—from "the Board's purported systematic and repeated failure to adequately supervise SafeSport's officers and directors" to the "apparent or actual mismanagement of funds for salaries, expenses, and contractors."

Sparking Lawsuits

SafeSport's incompetencies have landed the organization in multiple court battles. As of Feb. 2025 it's been embroiled in at least 14 lawsuits ranging from a lack of due process to challenging the constitutionality of SafeSport's actions.

Earlier this year, a Florida county court ruled that SafeSport committed fraud against the court in a case about expunging an innocent person's record. As part of the investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff's office sought information from SafeSport, which it obtained in-part in April 2022. But court documents reveal SafeSport filtered the information it provided to law enforcement, withholding exculpatory information favorable to the defendant.

SafeSport refused to cooperate with investigators even after the court issued a subpoena. SafeSport attorney Joe Zonies refused in writing to comply with a court order, leading the judge to rule that Zonies "made a material misrepresentation to this court."

In Feb. 2025, the Seminole County Court found that the U.S. Center for SafeSport "perpetrated a fraud upon the court, the People of the State of Florida, the Sheriff's Office, the State's Attorney Office, and defendant." It further concluded that SafeSport "acted in bad faith, intentionally, and with malice."

SafeSport appealed to the Fifth District Court of Appeals and lost on Dec. 15, 2025.

In Texas, an archery coach and business owner has accused SafeSport of intentionally trying to destroy his business, costing him over $100,000 in personal losses.

In Dec. 2024, Scott Booth of Texas Archery, LLC— a retail and coaching facility for aspiring Olympic level archery athletes—filed a lawsuit against USA Archery and the U.S. Center for SafeSport, claiming they intentionally targeted him "for personal and commercial destruction." As a volunteer and coach, Booth was required to be a member of USA Archery. He alleges:

SafeSport is a rogue entity that attempts to extend its jurisdiction over people and behavior whom it does not have authority; it presumes guilt; it shifts the burden of proof; it denies an accused a fair and impartial investigation; it denies participants an open and fair due process hearing providing an opportunity to respond, or test evidence through cross examination; and it imposes severe personal and economic sanctions without resort to historic concepts of due process of law.

In 2023, Booth hired an adult senior archery champion to work at his archery shop. A week later, he learned that SafeSport had imposed a suspension against the employee, who was simultaneously providing IT support for the Texas Archery Association (TSAA). He removed the employee that very day.

Nevertheless, SafeSport launched an investigation into Booth, claiming he "failed to punish an employee in accord with SafeSport's desired agenda," and posted him publicly on its disciplinary database. The group then suspended Booth from participating in any capacity in any event, program, or activity under the auspices of the USOPC or any of its affiliates at "a facility under the jurisdiction of the same." SafeSport effectively prohibited Booth from working in and operating his own business.

Yet Booth says he was never provided any details of the secret allegations against him and was denied a hearing and due process. He remained suspended and restricted from his business and family for nearly two years, from Oct. 2023 through Apr. 2025.

In his lawsuit, Booth claims he incurred losses of more than $100,000. He wasn't even permitted to coach his own children.

Interestingly, USA Archery cooperated with Booth in his lawsuit, revealing that NGBs such as USA Archery have a master service agreement with SafeSport specifying that SafeSport will not assert jurisdiction over allegations that are "not sexual misconduct without prior agreement of the Parties." Yet USA Archery asserts it is barred from participating in the process of investigating allegations not related to sexual misconduct—a violation of the master service agreement between SafeSport and USA Archery.

The case is still pending in U.S. District Court.

Another ongoing case, this one filed by equestrian instructor Thomas Navarro, challenges the constitutionality of delegating governmental authority to SafeSport as a private entity—arguing that it violates Americans' rights to due process.

The case centers on the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (ASA), a decades-old law that authorizes SafeSport to determine what conduct is permitted or proscribed, as well as the process for resolving allegations of misconduct.

The key phrase here: the ASA directs that "the SafeSport Code shall be incorporated into the statute without any involvement by a governmental entity or going through the regulatory or legislative processes and the protections they afford." That means any policies established by SafeSport's unelected officers have the same legal force as a federal statute passed by Congress—effectively delegating legislative control to a private, unaccountable organization.

Navarro believes that's unconstitutional.

Navarro teaches equestrians and trains horses as a member of the U.S. Equestrian Foundation (USEF). In a final decision, SafeSport ruled Navarro ineligible to participate in USEF. He learned of the case against him for the first time when he received an email banning him from the USEF. At the same time, his name was published on the SafeSport disciplinary website publicly declaring his ban. The Navarro case lists two other co-plaintiffs with similar allegations against SafeSport.

Even if Navarro rightly belongs on the SafeSport disciplinary database, they must follow established procedures of due process.

This case remains pending in the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. If the plaintiffs win, it could result in the abolition of SafeSport altogether.

SafeSport on Life Support

"SafeSport is a defective and unconstitutional entity," Steve Silvey, an attorney who has represented individuals in cases against SafeSport, told Restoration News. "They get away with [these decisions] because no one is holding the organization accountable, and the organization openly says it is immune and persists in that position."

Silvey is part of Athletes for Equity in Sport, a nonprofit advocacy organization that provides legal help and resources to individuals harmed by the U.S. Center for SafeSport. It's also pushing for legislative changes to ensure proper due process of all cases submitted to SafeSport.

Silvey acknowledges that SafeSport was created to protect athletes from sexual abuse, but the organization has been so badly tainted that it has lost public trust. "SafeSport is now part of a larger problem rather than a solution, if it was ever a solution," he said.

He's right.

Congress should rethink whether it should even be in the business of creating organizations that investigate and prosecute Americans without due process. There are already laws that prohibit sexual abuse. Creating more laws that promise silver bullet solutions only creates more opportunities for politicians to falsely claim they've "fixed" a problem. In SafeSport's case, more laws led to more problems.

Athletes who've been harmed as well as those falsely accused must have justice through fair and thorough processes. Not through legislation that creates more victims.

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