How To Know Who the MAAPP Applies To and When

The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) are designed to keep young athletes safe within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement. Understanding what the policies are is the first step. Next, it’s important to understand who they apply to and when—or if—they go into effect.

Who Does the MAAPP Apply To?

The MAAPP applies to all Adult Participants¹ in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement. This means that adult coaches, volunteers, administrators, and even athletes over the age of 18 are required to follow the MAAPP during any interaction with younger athletes.

For example, if your child plays a Movement sport, if you coach within the Movement, or if you’re an athlete who competes as part of a National Governing Body (NGB) or Local Affiliated Organization (think local clubs), the MAAPP applies. Understanding the policies at play can help you advocate for safer sport environments.

Important! In addition to following the MAAPP, Adult Participants who have regular contact with or authority over minor athletes are also required to complete SafeSport® Training.

Let’s explore an example:

A 20-year-old volunteers with a local club affiliated with USA Softball. She’s interested in becoming a coach one day so she’s gaining valuable experience as a volunteer. Alongside the adult coach and assistant coach, she helps coach athletes between the ages of 12-15.

As a volunteer, she’s required to follow the MAAPP because she’s an Adult Participant over age 18 and she’s volunteering with a softball club that’s affiliated with USA Softball, an NGB. Additionally, she has regular contact with minor athletes, so she would be required to be SafeSport® Trained.

Important! Some organizations and local clubs, like the softball club in the example above, follow the MAAPP because they’re affiliated with an NGB. If you’re unsure what your sport or club’s affiliation status is, check with your sport’s administrator to learn if the MAAPP is required. The MAAPP contains best practices that all participants can benefit from. If your sport organization falls outside of the Movement, consider encouraging them to implement similar policies and practices.

When Does the MAAPP Apply?

We now know who the MAAPP applies to. But when do the policies go into effect?

The MAAPP’s Required Prevention Policies apply when there’s “In-Program Contact.” This means that an Adult Participant is present, a Minor Athlete² is present, and the contact or activity is related to sport participation—like team dinners, driving to an event, weekly practice, and award banquets, just to name a few.

Let’s explore an example:

Two USA Swimming-affiliated coaches have organized a community service event for their swimming team. The members of the swimming team (a local club team affiliated with USA Swimming) are all under the age of 18. They’ll spend a Saturday morning cleaning up a local waterway.

Even though this event doesn’t appear to have much to do with swimming, it’s still considered In-Program Contact because the event has been organized by the coaches (who are Adult Participants) as a community service and team building activity (which is related to sport). The team is made up of Minor Athletes and is affiliated with USA Swimming, an NGB.

Are There Exceptions?

The MAAPP’s Required Prevention Policies must be followed by all Adult Participants during all In-Program Contact, but there are a few exceptions.*

*Keep in mind that these exceptions only apply to the Required Prevention Policies. The Education and Training Requirements do not follow these exceptions.

Let’s take a look at each exception in detail along with some sport-specific examples.

Emergency

Sometimes emergencies happen, and the Adult Participant must address the emergency as quickly as possible. This might mean violating one or more of the required prevention policies.

Example: Two coaches are working with a gymnast on the beam. The gymnast falls off of the beam and suffers a concussion. The coach asks the assistant coach to get medical help while they stay alone with the athlete. Because the athlete is in need of immediate medical attention, the coach provides care until medical personnel arrive. In this case, the coach does not violate the one-on-one policy by staying alone with the athlete. After the emergency situation has passed, the coach must document the applicability of the emergency exception per their organization’s protocols.

Close-in-Age

When athletes turn 18, they become Adult Participants and must follow the MAAPP. A Close-in-Age exception applies when athletes over 18 have no authority over the Minor Athlete and are no more than four years older (determined by date of birth) than the Minor Athlete.

Important! An 18-year-old athlete is also required to be SafeSport® Trained because they’re considered an Adult Participant, and they have regular contact with minor athletes.

Example: Two athletes meet on the weekend to train together. One of them is 18 while the other is 17. They are players on the same team and because they’re teammates, neither of them has authority over the other. They are only a year apart in age, so they’re allowed to train together without violating the one-on-one policy.

Dual Relationship

This exception applies to an Adult Participant who has a relationship with a Minor Athlete outside of sport. Keep in mind that written consent from the parent/guardian is required for this exception.

Example: An assistant coach, who is also the aunt of one of the Minor Athletes on the team, has written consent from the athlete’s mother—the assistant coach’s sister—to drive the athlete to practice once a week. This one-on-one In-Program Contact is okay because permission from the parent has been given, and the assistant coach and athlete have a relationship outside of sport.

Personal Care Assistant

Parasport athletes sometimes need assistance from a personal care assistant. If certain requirements are met, this exception allows the personal care assistant to help a Para athlete with daily activities, including preparing for athletic practice or competition.

Requirements:

The Minor Athlete’s parent/guardian has provided written consent
The Adult Participant personal care assistant has completed required MAAPP education and training
The Adult Participant personal care assistant has been screened by the organization

Example: A personal care assistant, who has met the requirements outlined above, helps a Para athlete one-on-one as they warm up and gather equipment required for competition. Because they have met the requirements, they are allowed to assist the athlete one-on-one without violating the MAAPP.

Explore more information and examples around In-Program Contact

Disclaimers

¹ Adult Participant: Any adult (18 years of age or older) who is: a. A member or license holder of an NGB, LAO, or USOPC; b. An employee or board member of an NGB, LAO, or USOPC; c. Within the governance or disciplinary jurisdiction of an NGB, LAO, or USOPC; d. Authorized, approved, or appointed by an NGB, LAO, or USOPC to have regular contact with or authority over minor athletes.*

*This may include volunteers, medical staff, trainers, chaperones, monitors, contract personnel, bus/van drivers, officials, adult athletes, staff, board members, and any other individual who meets the Adult Participant definition.

²A Minor Athlete is an amateur athlete under 18 years of age who participates in, or participated within the previous 12 months in, an event, program, activity, or competition that is part of, or partially or fully under the jurisdiction of, an NGB, USOPC, or LAO.†

†This term shall also include any minor who participates in, or participated within the previous 12 months in, a non-athlete role partially or fully under the jurisdiction of an NGB, USOPC, or LAO. Examples include, but are not limited to: officials, coaches, or volunteers.