House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Gregg Harper (R-MS), Ranking Member Diana DeGette (D-CO), Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH), and Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) sent letters to the U.S. Olympic Committee and all 48 National Governing Bodies, as well as Michigan State University, expanding the committee’s investigation into sexual abuse within organized sports.
The letters follow up the committee’s initial January 26th letters, and pose a number of detailed questions and document requests related to the management, handling, and prevention of sexual abuse. Chairman Walden has previously announced the committee intends to hold a hearing on these matters.
In their letter to the U.S. Olympic Committee, the members wrote, “Based on information received to date, the Committee is concerned that a pervasive and systemic problem exists in Olympic sports. The safety and well-being of all athletes should be the highest priority of the U.S. Olympic Committee and each of the respective National Governing Bodies. It is imperative, therefore, to understand the scope of this challenge across the Olympic community to ensure existing and future efforts to improve athlete safety are commensurate to the problem."
