Megan Bash of Cleveland Equestrian has been added to the Safe Sport list, for failing to report abuse, and she may be appealing the ruling. She has been a trainer/instructor for some notable youth riders, as well as her own son.
A little confusing as they are again referring to themselves as AES, not AERC (are there two different but associated organizations?), but here’s today’s newsletter:
AES Welcomes Appointments to the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics
Now that all 16 members of the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics and Paralympics have been appointed, Athletes for Equity in Sport stands ready to work with the Commission as it prepares to conduct its work. Under the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020, the Commission is required to submit a report to Congress on the results of its study of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), including detailed statements of research, conclusions, recommendations, and suggested policy changes. AES is encouraged by the opportunity the Commission will provide to conduct a top-to-bottom review on the state of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics and make recommendations to strengthen existing governance structures and improve the experience of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in the future.
Specifically, AES is actively urging Commission members to carefully examine U.S. Center for SafeSport operations and procedures as part of its oversight work and further to make recommendations to Congress for further oversight and/or needed policy changes. SafeSport is a new organization with broad authority and consequential powers and therefore AES believes it is important for SafeSport to be subject to greater oversight to ensure SafeSport is effectively achieving its mission and treating all those under its jurisdiction fairly and equitably. If stakeholders subject to SafeSport’s jurisdiction do not have confidence in SafeSport to fairly and competently fulfill its mission, that undermines the ability of SafeSport to achieve its primary objective which is to improve personal safety and security for athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic sporting community.
AES President Diane Carney stated, “AES and its members are prepared to share our experience and expertise, as well as volunteer our time with regard to issues related to SafeSport, to support the important work of the Commission in any way we are able.”
The 16 members appointed to serve on the Commission, ten of whom are current or former athletes, possess broad and extensive experience in Olympic and Paralympic sports and will add significant value and important perspectives that will promote the successful completion of the Commission’s work. The full list of Commission members include: John Dane (sailing); Benita Fitzgerald Mosley (track & field); Nancy Hogshead Makar (swimming); Edwin Moses (track and field); Brittney Reese (track and field); Jordyn Wieber (gymnastics); Patty Cisneros Prevo (basketball); Karin Korb (tennis); Melissa Stockwell (swimming and triathlon); Han Xiao (table tennis); Robert Cohen (USOPC Foundation Board of Directors); Mitch Daniels (president of Purdue University); Bill Hybl (chairman of U.S. Olympic Endowment and President Emeritus of USOPC); Dionne Koller (law professor at the University of Baltimore); Rob Mullens (athletic director at the University of Oregon); and Joe Schmitz (former Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Defense).
Really wish they wouldn’t give these morons a platform.
If you read carefully, it doesn’t actually say they are working together, just that AES is ready to. It’s a good PR job…
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Yes, I should edit to say I really hope they don’t give them a platform.
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I don’t think SS wants or needs help from Diane Carney and her crew of pedophile supporters.
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Oh, I can just see Nancy Hogshead-Makar leaping at the chance to work with them!
I believe there are two separate and closely intertwined organizations. I think maybe the original one does not have nonprofit status, but the newer one does, so the donations are tax-deductible. But I won’t swear to any of that.
I’m sure Jordyn Wieber is also eager to collaborate with Carney’s Cronies.
Imagine spending your charitable dollars on that crew!!
More in today’s newsletter from AES:
Wellington, Fla. - May 14, 2021 - Athletes for Equity in Sport, the 501©(6) organization that works tirelessly to ensure equity for all participants in the U.S. Center for SafeSport reporting process, is proud to support the formation of Athletes Equity Resource Center, a 501©(3) tax-deductible organization. The two will work closely to not only affect policy change to improve SafeSport, but also protect athletes through best practices and provide opportunities for support from the public through charitable giving.
Athletes for Equity in Sport (AES) is dedicated to the safety of athletes and insuring equitable procedures in the governance of Olympic and Paralympic sports.The AES mission is to ensure that any person involved in reporting or being investigated concernIng disciplinary charges subject to the jurisdiction of the USOPC, NGBs [National Governing Bodies] and The U.S. Center for SafeSport are afforded participation in a timely, equitable, and confidential process until final adjudication of any alleged offense(s) on the merits thereof.
AES has a three-prong approach to accomplish change: education, litigation and legislation.
Athletes Equity Resource Center was founded in the spring of 2021 as a 501©(3) non profit organization with the goal of providing informational and educational materials for all parties in cases of alleged abuse or misconduct involving athletes in Olympic sports. Their purpose in offering resource materials is to ensure that each and every party has equal access to resources they need for their pursuit of justice, whatever that may entail.
One of the unique initiatives of the AERC is also the Athletes Assistance Program (AAP℠). Thanks to many generous tax-deducible donations to AERC, athletes, parents and coaches of all 51 Olympic sports will soon be able to call and connect confidentially with qualified professionals in the field of emotional support at no initial cost to the athletes or their dependents 24/7/365. By providing direct access to licensed and skilled professionals with educational resources as well as direct referral for providers and organizations, AAP℠ aims to help individuals with well-being, stress, and crisis intervention. The services and referral resources will address SafeSport-related challenges that manifest and address issues of well-being including but not limited to stress, productivity, anxiety, family matters, financial difficulties, vocational challenges, and crises intervention.
The two non-profit organizations will work side by side to support the well-being of athletes and promote changes in procedures at The U.S. Center for SafeSport which have eroded athletes confidence in reporting abuse and being treated fairly by the system.
“We are very proud to be able to expand the number of athletes we can help and the policies that we can change with the addition of the Athletes Equity Resource Center,” remarked Mason Phelps, president of the AERC. “We remain committed to our goal to make sports more safe, equitable, and accessible for all who participate in them and we look forward to helping as many people as we can through the AERC.”
Diane Carney, president and founder of AES, said, “Athletes for Equity in Sport congratulates AERC and its esteemed board of directors for their commitment to heath and welfare of our athletes and establishing life changing support in the AAP℠.”
AES and AERC rely entirely on private donations to achieve their mission. Your contributions are the backbone of this important work and critical to the future safety of athletes.
To learn more about Athletes for Equity in Sport, click here.
To learn more about Athletes Equity Resource Center and the Athletes Assistance Program, click here.
@LexInVA about the ex school teacher horse trainer. I understand past conviction of sexual offences with a minor (or some other crimes) even outside the sport gets you banned. Quite cut and dried if it’s there in the court papers.
She isn’t (and perhaps never was) on the offender registry and got a wrist-slap punishment (with a lengthy probation) for her offenses. After her brief jail sentence, she discretely relocated across state lines, while staying in the area she had been in with her family, so she would be unknown to authorities until scrutinized and Safesport wouldn’t have any knowledge of her past offenses until that happened due to their involvement. When they began investigating her, they clearly didn’t know that she was the same woman from miles down the road and across state lines, who had been charged and punished for sexual abuse. Nobody in the Washington-Oregon Equestrian community, particularly on the Washington side that she had relocated to, would know who she really was and what she had done, unless they did some digging, though she competed and participated openly in shows and other events under her name, while using a different one on social media.
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Noting that I’m quoting what AES wrote, not @SolarFlare.
Maybe I’m just being excessively cranky but am I allowed to point out that AES has mixed up affect and effect? Yet another entity in need of a better editor.
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Basically what they’ve done here is made a second sister organization, one that can be organized to accept tax deductible donations.
AES does political lobbying, so donations to them are not deductible.
The spinoff (really, did they not know equestrians already have an AERC??) does “education” and “emotional support” and this is an allowable function for a tax deductible 501©(3) organization.
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I hope they’re flooded with calls from survivors of abuse and are ready to foot the bill for that emotional support, or do they only offer that to the pedos?
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I find it so bizarre they have decided to use the acronym AERC. Endurance riding seems to be one of the few disciplines left without a major sexual abuse scandal… the real AERC should step up and object to this use of their longtime, well respected organizational acronym.
Secondly… maybe it’s just because I’m a parent, have kids in public schools, and a spouse who works for a government contractor as of this last year… but the use of the word “equity” in the title of AES irritates the stew out of me.
I’m all over the place politically, and have varied opinions on many issues. But to me, it seems GLARINGLY obvious they chose to use the word “equity” in their organization’s name because equity in general is a hot social topic right now, and they were trying to make their organization sound more appealing to liberal minded folks. It just seems like a slightly cynical rhetorical trick to me.
The truth is, many of the folks behind the founding of this group are VERY outspoken on social media in terms of being loud and proud Trump supporters. Many of the key supporters of this group are also very anti immigration, and very big supporters of what might be best described as “a good old boy network” when it comes to sports… most especially show jumping. Maybe it’s just me, but the use of the word “equity” in the organization name seemed like a ham-handed effort from the get go, to make the whole thing SOUND more appealing to a specific demographic… wealthy, liberal, white women… many of whom are influential amateurs in the hj community, and potential donors & supporters that AES wanted to get behind their cause.
Anyway… it’s been a thought (concerning the cynical use of the word ‘equity’ in the organization’s title) I’ve been meaning to raise for a longtime on this thread, mainly because I’m curious if other people share my sentiment.
FWIW… even though I’m a passionate supporter of SafeSport, and women and girls who have been victims of abuse… I’m actually politically conservative on many other issues. I am who I am, and look at life issue by issue. (Shrug) That personal perspective definitely colors my opinion, however, that this group of people seem to have used the word “equity” in a cynical manner just to appeal to potential donors. But anyone is free to disagree, and tell me if they think I’m reading too much into it. I’ll admit that when it comes to AES, I pretty much suspect the worst motivations possible behind much of what they do.
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Yes, it bothers me too. Not just the word “equity” being used in this sense, but “athletes for equity” makes it sound bad to be against equity. It makes it sound like they’re for the athletes in our sports being treated fairly, but they’re really defending those that are exploiting those young athletes and it disgusts me.
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It does seem to be gaslighting to use the word “equity” here, where the “victim” of the inequitable treatment is the alleged perpetrator. Being a victim also seems to be the MO of many abusers.
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So, doublespeak? 
