1st November, 2020
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed into law a bill designed to give Olympic athletes greater protection and more input into decision making.
His decision to do so comes in the wake of the Larry Nassar gymnastics sexual abuse scandal.
The Empowering Olympic, Paralympic and Amateur Athletes Act increases funding for the U.S. Center for Davenport.
It also creates more athlete representation on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) board and sport National Governing Bodies (NGB).
If both fail to follow up on reforms, new mechanisms will be in place to allow Congress to dissolve the USOPC board and decertify NGBs.
USA Gymnastics is still reeling from the scandal that involved former team doctor Nassar, who was sentenced to up to 300 years in prison in 2018 after more than 350 women testified about abuse at his hands.
The bill followed an 18-month bipartisan investigation that found Nassar was able to assault hundreds of girls and women because of a lack of transparency and accountability among U.S. Olympic officials, coaches and trainers.