Professional Ethics and Conduct Flashcards

A coach overhears two athletes making homophobic remarks toward a teammate. Under SafeSport's professional ethics standards, what should the coach do?

Answer: Address the behavior immediately, make clear it is unacceptable, and document the incident per organizational policy

Coaches must intervene in peer harassment, communicate that discriminatory behavior is unacceptable, and document the incident following organizational protocols.

Which situation represents an appropriate use of authority by a coach under SafeSport ethical standards?

Answer: Setting and consistently enforcing team rules for attendance, conduct, and performance

Coaches may appropriately exercise authority by establishing and consistently enforcing transparent, fair team standards that apply equally to all athletes.

What does it mean for a sports organization to have a 'culture of silence' around misconduct, and why is it dangerous?

Answer: An environment where witnesses and victims feel unable to report misconduct due to fear, loyalty, or normalization

A culture of silence normalizes misconduct and discourages reporting, allowing abuse to continue unchecked and causing ongoing harm to athletes.

Under SafeSport's framework, which of the following is an example of 'physical misconduct' distinct from sexual misconduct?

Answer: A coach forcefully grabbing and shaking an athlete's shoulder aggressively during a game

Physical misconduct includes non-consensual, aggressive physical acts like forceful grabbing or striking that go beyond reasonable coaching conduct.

A parent volunteers to help coach a youth team. Which SafeSport requirement applies to them?

Answer: All adults in regular contact with minor athletes in covered organizations must complete SafeSport training and screening

SafeSport training and background screening requirements apply to all adults — paid or volunteer — who have regular contact with minor athletes in covered organizations.

A coach is aware that their organization does not have a formal written policy for reporting abuse. What should the coach do?

Answer: Advocate to leadership for the creation of a written policy and use existing SafeSport Center reporting mechanisms in the meantime

Even without an organizational policy, coaches must use available SafeSport reporting mechanisms and should advocate for formal written policies to be established.

What is the SafeSport Center's role when an allegation of abuse is reported against a coach in a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) member organization?

Answer: The SafeSport Center has exclusive jurisdiction to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct involving covered organizations

The U.S. Center for SafeSport has exclusive jurisdiction to investigate and resolve allegations of sexual misconduct within USOPC member organizations, independent of those organizations.