LBRA Safe Sport Policy
In Compliance with US Rowing Member Requirements
Effective March 1st 2017
It shall be the policy of the Long Beach Rowing Association (LBRA) that its Board Members, staff and coaches participate in, as well as its lessee organizations adopt an, athlete safety program no later than the June 1st 2017, to be renewed each subsequent year beginning on January 1st, 2018. In the case of organizations that are representative of a formal parent organization such as a university or school, then the policy in place and required by that entity may be used, providing it addresses the minimum components as required by US Rowing and the US Olympic Committee.
The athlete safety program shall include, at a minimum, the following components:
Prohibited Conduct: A policy that prohibits and defines the following misconduct:
- Bullying
- Hazing
- Harassment (including sexual harassment)
- Emotional Misconduct
- Physical Misconduct
- Sexual Misconduct (including child sexual abuse)
In the event you perceive an occurrence of bullying, hazing, harassment, emotional or physical misconduct or sexual misconduct at the Rowing Center, you can report it anonymously via the LBRA Safe Sport Email Hotline (lbrasafesport@longbeachrowing.org) or confidentially to a member of the LBRA Board who will immediately begin an internal investigation. If you believe a crime is, or has been, committed in any of the identified misconduct areas, please contact Long Beach Police Department immediately at 911 (in the event of an emergency) or at (562) 435-6711 and then advise a member of the LBRA Board.
In 2014, the State of California added Section 11105.07 to the California Penal Code (CPC) which requires background checks for volunteers or employees of youth sports programs. In addition, existing statutes regarding sexual abuse with minors include CPC 261.5 and section 11165.7 which require mandatory reporting of child abuse by administrators of private day camps, private youth organizations, or youth recreation programs.
The policy shall apply to: (1) All LBRA members, staff, guests, and approved coaches; (2) any lessee organization utilizing the Peter Archer Rowing Center under the auspices of LBRA, (3) athletes LBRA designates for participation in any US Rowing registered or branded event; and (4) individuals LBRA formally authorizes, approves or appoints (a) to a position of authority or (b) to have frequent contact with athletes.
Prohibited misconduct shall include, without limitation: Romantic or sexual relationships, which began during the sport relationship, between athletes or other participants and those individuals (i) with direct supervisory or evaluative control, or(ii) are in a position of power and trust over the athlete or other participant. Except in circumstances where no imbalance of power exists, coaches have this direct supervisory or evaluative control and are in a position of power and trust over those athletes or participants they coach.
The prohibition on romantic or sexual relationships does not include those relationships where it can be demonstrated that there is no imbalance of power. For example, this prohibition does not apply to a pre-existing relationship between two spouses or life partners. For factors that may be relevant to determining whether an imbalance of power exists, consult the USOC’s Athlete Protection Policy.
Lessee organizations are not required to prohibit misconduct as specifically categorized above. For example, a lessee organization may prohibit sexual harassment as “harassment,” “sexual harassment,” or under some other category or definition. If a lessee organization’s relevant athlete safety policies do not define a particular type of misconduct, the definitions set forth in the US Rowing Athlete Protection Policy, found in the US Rowing Safe Sport Policies at: http://usrowing.org/Safety/SafeSport.aspx, shall apply.
Criminal Background Checks
LBRA shall require criminal background checks for those individuals it formally authorizes, approves or appoints (a) to a position of authority over, or (b) to have frequent contact with athletes. For purposes of clarification, a lessee organization is considered to formally authorize, approve or appoint an individual in instances where the lessee organization has control over the appointment process.
Education and Training
Beginning March 1st, 2017, each lessee organization shall require education and training concerning the key elements of their safety program for those individuals it formally authorizes, approves or appoints (a) to position of authority over, or (b) to have frequent contact with athletes. Before October1st, 2017 each lessee organization shall offer and encourage the same.
Reporting
LBRA, and each lessee organization, shall establish a procedure for reporting misconduct which will be made available to LBRA members, staff, guests, and approved coaches and any others utilizing the Peter Archer Rowing Center under the auspices of the Long Beach Rowing Association.
Enforcement
LBRA, and its lessee organizations, shall have a grievance process, which is materially free of bias and conflicts of interest, to address allegations of misconduct following the report or complaint of misconduct, which has not been adjudicated under a criminal background check. The grievance process, whether by policy or operation of law, shall include the opportunity for review by a disinterested individual or body. LBRA, and its lessee organizations, shall adopt a Policy and Participant Safety Handbook that outlines various aspects of an athlete safety program. LBRA will utilize the US Rowing Internal Policies and Participant Safety Handbook until such time at LBRA develops and adopts its own guidelines for enforcement.
Requirements
The minimum standards established with this policy will be reviewed at the beginning of each calendar year, and updated as needed, by the LBRA Board of Directors, in compliance with US Rowing and US Olympic Committee requirements. In implementing an athlete safety program, LBRA shall be guided by the principle that supporting the health and safety of its athletes is a key element of its organizational mission.
Failure to meet the minimum standards as set forth in this policy may result in disciplinary action by US Rowing and/or LBRA including, without limitation, the withdrawal of membership or insurance liability coverage and the possibility of negating renewal of future leases for the Pete Archer Rowing Center facility. Some exceptions to the minimum standards of this policy, based on the organizational structure of the lessee, may be granted by US Rowing or LBRA on a case-by-case basis where appropriate, provided that such exceptions do not materially endanger athletes. Such requests shall be made in writing to the US Rowing CEO and the LBRA Board President.