After Sex Scandals Rock Olympic Sports, USA Wrestling Requires Background Checks for Press

USA Wrestling is responding to the growing number of  Olympic sex abuse scandals by toughening up their policies towards journalists covering their events, according to The Washington Post.

On Tuesday, USA Wrestling announced all journalists would now be required to undergo background checks and take classes as part of the credentialing process effective immediately, requiring even pre-credentialed media to reapply to cover the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships — which takes place next week in Las Vegas.

Rich Bender, USA Wrestling’s executive director, said the move was aimed at creating a “safe environment for kids” and making sure all people who come in contact with their participants are vetted.  However, the Associated Press Sports Editors, a group representing newspapers and sports organizations, called the move “dangerous” and “misguided.”

“APSE applauds the effort to protect the safety of USA Wrestling athletes, but making journalists qualify for a membership and take a course in how to identify abuse and bullying is misguided,” Jeff Rosen, president of APSE, said in a statement provided to WaPo.  “The lack of specificity on background checks, including the extent and areas of the checks, and the disposal of information and indemnification of the media is both alarming and dangerous.”

In recent months, a high profile sex scandal has rocked USA Gymnastics and least two other Olympic sports bodies, including USA Swimming and USA Taekwondo.

So far, USA Wrestling has remained unscathed and no one, including any credentialed member of the media, has been accused of misconduct at a wrestling event.

Yet, according to Bender, the decision — the first of its kind among Olympic governing bodies — remains much-needed even if there has not been a problem with the press in the past.

“The bigger idea is education — not just education for victims but education for everyone,” Bender said, defending the move.  “We want to create an environment where we’re hypersensitive to it.”

The APSE is encouraging their members to not cover USA Wrestling events in light of the new restrictions.

[Featured image via screengrab]