The deadline for all USEF members to complete their online SafeSport training is fast approaching on Jan. 1, 2019. I completed my SafeSport training last week and am checking in with a handy list of tips for those of you who still need to check this important box on your year-end to-do list.
Why should you complete your SafeSport training as soon as possible? Because you will be ineligible to participate in USEF activities, including competitions, if you don’t.
8 Things You Need to Know About USEF’S SafeSport Training
1. There are THREE SafeSport training modules that you must complete: Sexual Misconduct Awareness Education, Mandatory Reporting, and Emotional and Physical Misconduct. You will receive a certificate of completion each time you complete a module, but you must complete all three to officially complete your SafeSport Training.
2. There is one exception to the Jan. 1, 2019 deadline. If you renewed your USEF membership or joined USEF on or after Dec. 1, 2018, then you will have a 30-day grace period to complete the SafeSport training.
Those who do not complete the training within the grace period will be ineligible to participate in USEF activities, including competitions. Points accrued at horse shows during the 30-day grace period will still count, but if you don’t complete your training within the 30 days, you will be ineligible to compete and points will not count until you have completed the training.
3. Event organizers and secretaries will have access to a combined Suspension and Ineligibility List for SafeSport to determine who has not yet competed their training and therefore cannot compete.
If you appear on the Ineligibility List but complete the training on the first day of an event, you can present a copy of the SafeSport Trained certificate to the show office to prove you are eligible to compete. If you present your certificate after the first day of the event, you can still compete but your points will not be counted.
4. The SafeSport training was developed based on the four requirements of the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017:
- mandatory reporting of sexual misconduct involving a minor
- establishing reasonable procedures to limit one-on-one interactions between adults and minors
- provide training to all adult members with regular contact with minors
- prohibiting retaliation
The USEF Safe Sport Policy and U.S. Center for SafeSport Code were designed to protecting all participants in equestrian sports. USEF clarified that the organization “stands behind these policies to protect the athletes of equestrian sport, not just because a law requires it, but because every member has a responsibility to protect those who have chosen horses as their passion.”
5. In response to whether requiring SafeSport training infringes on the civil rights of members, USEF responded that the “the jurisdiction is no broader than it’s ever been in the past and no one’s civil rights are removed.
“US Equestrian is committed to creating and maintaining and educating and informing an equestrian community free of all forms of emotional, physical, and sexual misconduct. Protecting athletes and fostering an environment where existing participants and newcomers alike feel safe is of the utmost importance.”
6. USEF has released a slew of resources to help with taking the training and provide more information about SafeSport:
- Learning Center Video Part 1: Safe Sport Reporting, Training, and Resources
- Learning Center Video Part 2: Safe Sport Investigations, Interim, Measures, and Final Determinations
7. If you have any technical issues while taking the training, contact the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s Technical Support Help Desk at 720-676-6417. USEF recommends using Google Chrome or Firefox for the training. (I completed mine in Google Chrome on slow wifi and had no problems.)
8. Completing the online SafeSport training will be an annual requirement for all members, so once you complete your 2019 training you will receive a deadline of one year later to complete the 2020 training.
If you have any questions related to SafeSport, please contact Teresa Roper at [email protected].
