A brief look at USA Gymnastics’ handling professional member misconduct involving athletes

USA Gymnastics expects its professional members and clubs to provide a positive and healthy environment for youngsters who participate in gymnastics.  USA Gymnastics provides an education program, has a strong code of ethics and requires completion of a safety-certification program for professional members.  The organization has also added a requirement for background checks as a condition of professional membership, with renewal background checks every two years.
 
USA Gymnastics takes seriously any allegation of professional member misconduct or inappropriate behavior involving athletes.  The organization’s bylaws include provisions for processing allegations and spell out the types of discipline, including termination of membership, which may be administered by the organization.
 
When USA Gymnastics terminates the membership of a coach or other professional member, that individual is permanently ineligible for membership in USA Gymnastics.  This lifetime ban means the individual does not have any of the rights or privileges associated with membership in USA Gymnastics, including but not limited to participation in any event conducted or sanctioned by USA Gymnastics.  In addition, USA Gymnastics makes such terminations public by posting a complete list of terminated members on USA Gymnastics’ Web site.  The list of terminated members also is published in official publications at least once a year and when someone is added to the list.
 
USA Gymnastics is a national membership organization with approximately 90,000 athlete members and 17,000 instructor and professional members.  
 
Links to referenced documents
USA Gymnastics Code of Ethics (http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/publications/technique/1996/9/ethics.html <http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/publications/technique/1996/9/ethics.html> )
USA Gymnastics Bylaws, Articles 9-10 (http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/organization/2007/usag-bylaws.pdf <http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/organization/2007/usag-bylaws.pdf> )
USA Gymnastics list of terminated members (http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/membership/memship-noticeto.html <http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/membership/memship-noticeto.html> )