March 8, 2019
Dear MSYSA Presidents & Delegates:
As relayed at the recent MSYSA Annual General Meeting in Troy, Michigan, the MSYSA Board of Directors recently adopted an
Athlete & Participant Safety Program
as part of its overall Risk Management Program.
US Soccer required its Organization Members, including MSYSA, to adopt an Athlete & Participant Safety Program by February 14, 2019, to effect compliance on or before September 1, 2019.
The adoption of this Athlete & Participant Safety Program meets our compliance obligations set forth by Public Law 115-126,
Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017
(the "SafeSport Act") as well as US Soccer’s Policy 212-3.
This program was developed to implement policies and processes to help participants detect and report abuse, respond to it, and prevent future occurrences. In order to maintain compliance with US Soccer’s Policy 212-3, MSYSA’s Athlete & Participant Safety Program includes six (6) key components: Background Screening Policy, Mandatory Reporting Policy, Training and Education Policy, Prohibited Conduct Policy, Policy to Limit One-on-One Interactions, and Policy on Monitoring and Enforcement. Also included is a list of definitions for key terms mentioned within these six (6) policies.
Our program uses the term ‘Covered Adults’ to refer to those adults (aged 18 and older) to whom these policies apply. Covered Adults are required to follow all policies included in MSYSA’s Athlete & Participant Safety Program. Covered Adults include adult individuals (aged 18 and older) who are authorized directly by MSYSA or indirectly by a member organization that is directly affiliated with MSYSA to have:
a) Routine and/or regular contact with an amateur athlete who is a minor;
b) Authority over an amateur athlete who is a minor; or
c) Authority over those adults who have routine and/or regular contact with an amateur athlete who is a minor.
If your organization allows adults to be in regular contact with minors, please assume this applies to you.
Examples of Covered Adults include, but are not limited to:
1) MSYSA Board Members
2) MSYSA Committee Members
3) MSYSA Employees and Independent Contractors
4) Club & League Presidents, Club and League Delegates, Club and League Officials, Club and League Representatives, Club and League Administrators, and Club and League Volunteers.
5) Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Team Managers, Assistant Team Managers, Team Officials, and Team Trainers; and
6) Referees*
*While Referees, Referee Coaches, Referee Mentors, Referee Assignors, and other Referee Program Affiliated Personnel are expected to adhere to these policies due to referee involvement in MSYSA sanctioned activities and competitions, it is understood that these individuals are also subject to any policies set forth by the Michigan Referee Committee and/or US Soccer Policy.
Many aspects of our program are issued in order to protect Minor Participants in the sport of soccer who participate in MSYSA sanctioned activities and competitions. The term ‘Minor Participants’ refers to athletes, referees, coaches, or otherwise, who are under the lesser of 1) the age of 18; or 2) the age of majority in the applicable state, and who are participating in MSYSA sanctioned activities and competitions. Additionally, although this Athlete & Participant Safety Program focuses in many areas on concerns unique to Minor Participants, these policies may be applicable to and are designed to protect participants of all ages.
MSYSA recognizes that social norms continue to develop, as does the legal framework under which we operate. Accordingly, the MSYSA Athlete & Participant Safety Program will always be subject to modification, amendment and further development by MSYSA, in its discretion. The MSYSA Athlete & Participant Safety Program and all policies contained herein may be amended from time to time by a vote of the MSYSA Board of Directors. Limited exceptions to these policies may be granted by MSYSA on a case by case basis where appropriate, provided that such exceptions do not materially impact the safety of Minor Participants.
The MSYSA Athlete & Participant Safety Program and these six (6) policies are hereby issued as of February 14, 2019.
To allow adequate opportunity to ensure policy changes and compliance, MSYSA direct member organizations, and those organizations that are indirectly affiliated with MSYSA via membership or participation with an MSYSA direct member organization, are expected to maintain compliance with these requirements on or before September 1, 2019 (but are nonetheless urged to complete compliance as early as practicable).
Please note that online training concerning child abuse prevention is a key component of the MSYSA Athlete and Participant Safety Program. As mentioned in previous communications, Covered Adults are required to complete the “Core SafeSport Training” (or the “SafeSport Refresher Course”, where applicable) on or before September 1, 2019. Additional details are provided in the Training and Education Policy of the MSYSA Athlete and Participant Safety Program, and instructions for accessing the training are available
at this link
.
Effective September 1, 2019, any MSYSA direct member organization, or any organization that is indirectly affiliated with MSYSA via membership or participation with any MSYSA direct member organization, not in compliance with the requirements set forth by the MSYSA Athlete & Participant Safety Program will be subject to enforcement as provided in the ‘Policy on Monitoring and Enforcement’ of this program.
Please read, review and share this information with your affiliated ‘Covered Adults’. MSYSA will continue to provide you updates on any new or anticipated future changes to the MSYSA Athlete & Participant Safety Program.
Sincerely,
Thomas Faro
Executive Director
