A bipartisan pair of House committee leaders is pressing the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) for answers over its handling of sexual abuse allegations, following an investigative report that found the organization has failed to follow through on promised safeguards for young athletes.
In a letter sent to AAU leadership, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and ranking member Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) said it is “unacceptable that AAU is failing to implement standard reforms to protect child athletes, and is misleading the public, parents, and athletes about preventative measures in place within AAU sports.”
The letter comes on the heels of a ProPublica investigation published in August that detailed how the AAU, despite vowing to overhaul its child protection policies after a 2011 scandal, has not put in place the reforms it promised. The investigation found that at least eight coaches who had been banned by other youth sports organizations for misconduct were still working with children in AAU programs.
“ProPublica’s reporting describes numerous abuse cases involving AAU coaches that occurred even after the organization’s updated child protection policies were reportedly put in place in 2012,” the lawmakers wrote. They noted that the sexual abuse crisis in the Olympic and Paralympic movements prompted Congress to enact sweeping reforms, including the creation of a publicly searchable database of individuals suspended or banned for misconduct.
“While progress has been made in the Olympic and Paralympic movement, unfortunately we are seeing parallels between what the Committee saw in its prior investigation with what is being uncovered within the AAU today,” the letter stated.
The AAU, which oversees nearly 800,000 athletes across more than 50 sports including basketball, soccer, and volleyball, responded to ProPublica’s investigation by saying it is “committed to protecting its athletes through comprehensive protection policies overseen by our Compliance Department.” The organization also insisted that “protecting young athletes is at the forefront of our safety measures such as a verified identity check and mandatory background screenings for all non-athlete AAU members, including coaches.”
The lawmakers’ inquiry adds to growing scrutiny of youth sports organizations and their handling of abuse cases. A recent appeals court ruling highlighted legal gaps in how such cases are prosecuted, and some critics have accused political leaders of prioritizing institutional protection over victims’ safety.
The committee is now demanding detailed records from the AAU, including its current child protection policies, the number of abuse complaints received since 2012, and the steps taken to ensure banned coaches are not allowed to work with minors. The lawmakers have set a deadline for the AAU to respond, signaling that they are prepared to escalate the matter if answers are not forthcoming.
This is not the first time the AAU has faced questions over its safety protocols. The 2011 scandal prompted the organization to announce a series of reforms, but the recent ProPublica findings suggest that those reforms were never fully implemented. The committee’s letter warns that without meaningful action, the AAU risks repeating the same mistakes that have plagued other sports governing bodies.
As the investigation unfolds, parents and athletes are left wondering whether the AAU can be trusted to protect the children in its care. The committee’s bipartisan approach underscores the seriousness of the issue, and the pressure is now on the AAU to prove that it is willing to change.
