Governance

Call for Nominations: USA Volleyball Athlete Advisory Committee (AAC)

For Athletes

Athlete Ombuds

The Office of the Athlete Ombuds offers independent, confidential advice to elite athletes regarding their rights and responsibilities in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, and assists athletes with a broad range of questions, disputes, complaints and concerns.

Phone: 719-866-5000
Email: ombudsman@usathlete.org
Website: usathlete.org

Athlete Ombuds Confidentiality and Privacy Policy:

(A) In general.—The Office of the Athlete Ombuds shall maintain as confidential any information communicated or provided to the Office of the Athlete Ombuds in confidence in any matter involving the exercise of the official duties of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds. (B) Exception.—The Office of the Athlete Ombuds may disclose information described in subparagraph (A) as necessary to resolve or mediate a dispute, with the permission of the parties involved.(C) Judicial and administrative proceedings.—(i) In general.—The ombudsman and the staff of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds shall not be compelled to testify or produce evidence in any judicial or administrative proceeding with respect to any matter involving the exercise of the duties of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds.(ii) Work product.—Any memorandum, work product, notes, or case file of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds—(I) shall be confidential; and(II) shall not be—(aa) subject to discovery, subpoena, or any other means of legal compulsion; or (bb) admissible as evidence in a judicial or administrative proceeding. (D) Applicability.—The confidentiality requirements under this paragraph shall not apply to information relating to—(i) applicable federally mandated reporting requirements; (ii) a felony personally witnessed by a member of the Office of the Athlete Ombuds;(iii) a situation, communicated to the Office of the Athlete Ombuds, in which an individual is at imminent risk of serious harm; or (iv) a congressional subpoena.

Anti-Retaliation:

No individual associated with USA Volleyball (USAV) who, in good faith, reports a violation of any matters shall be subject to retaliation, including, harassed, threatened, discriminated against, demoted, discharged or subjected to other forms of retaliation or other adverse consequences associated with the reporting.

Per the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (the “Act”), retaliation means any adverse or discriminatory action, or the threat of an adverse or discriminatory action, including removal from a training facility, reduced coaching or training, reduced meals or housing, and removal from competition, carried out against a protected individual as a result of any communication, including the filing of a formal complaint, by the protected individual or a parent or legal guardian of the protected individual relating to the allegation of physical abuse, sexual harassment, or emotional abuse, with: (1) the U.S. Center for SafeSport; (2) a coach, trainer, manager, administrator, or official associated with USAV; (3) the Attorney General; (4) a Federal or State law enforcement authority; (5) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; or (6) Congress.

No individual with USAV 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.

Anyone who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation as discussed in this policy, in good faith, is subject to discipline up to and including dismissal from Board positions, cancelation of contracts, or other such applicable action. In the case of a USAV employee who has been found to have retaliated against someone under this policy, the USAV employee shall be automatically terminated or suspended without pay as required by the Act.