USA Swimming’s top priority continues to be creating healthy and positive environments free from abuse for all its members. As part of its commitment to safeguard athletes, USA Swimming has released an updated Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) applicable to all USA Swimming Adult Participants, Zones, LSCs and member clubs. These required updates come from the U.S. Center for SafeSport (the “Center”). USA Swimming’s updated MAAPP document has been approved by the Center and is required to be fully implemented by USA Swimming, its Zones, LSCs and member clubs. USA Swimming has set a deadline for those organizations to implement the policy in full no later than September 1, 2021; all organizations are encouraged to implement the MAAPP prior to the September 1 deadline.  

USA Swimming implemented its first MAAPP in 2019. The initial USA Swimming MAAPP went above and beyond the Center’s requirements to restrict one-on-one interactions between adults and minor athletes. The 2021 required updates will not be the same major overhaul directly due to our robust efforts in 2019. However, there are still significant changes USA Swimming, its Zones, LSCs and member clubs are required to implement. Below are some key takeaways to understand and focus on: 

1. Adult Participant term replaces Applicable Adult term 
2. Added Definitions section 
3. Dual Relationship and Close-In-Age Exceptions  
4. Modifications to Required Consents section 
5. New Meetings and Individual Training Sessions section  

“This year, we are providing more time for USA Swimming member clubs to implement MAAPP 2.0,” USA Swimming’s Program Director of Safe Sport Liz Hahn said. “In addition, we have numerous resources for LSCs, member clubs, adults and athletes to understand and ask questions about the new policy, including four separate webinars.”  

Participants can register for the hour-long webinars on USA Swimming’s webinars and presentations page. All webinars will be structured similarly, but a rolling FAQ list will be updated after each session.  

USA Swimming wants the transition to MAAPP 2.0 to be as seamless as possible for all members. In addition to the webinar opportunities, USA Swimming’s Safe Sport website has been updated to include new resources, including: 

• A editable MAAPP 2.0 document for clubs to download and customize as its own.  
• Educational documents to help guide and assist all USA Swimming member clubs.  

“We will continue to provide support in any way possible for our membership,” Hahn said.  

For questions regarding MAAPP 2.0, please reach out to your club’s or LSC’s USA Swimming Safe Sport Chair/Coordinator, USA Swimming Safe Sport Zone Chair or email maapp@usaswimming.org.  

To learn more about this policy, and to find the available resources, please visit usaswimming.org/MAAPP.