When a coach is suspended or banned by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, it can feel like justice has been served. The individual who caused harm is removed from sport, and other athletes may be protected from future abuse.
But for many survivors and families, the trauma does not end there.
A SafeSport suspension addresses who is allowed to participate in sports going forward. It does not address why the abuse happened in the first place, and it does not hold powerful sports organizations financially responsible for the systems that failed to protect athletes.
This is where many survivors begin asking a different question:
Can you sue the sports organization itself—even after a coach is banned by SafeSport?
In many cases, the answer is yes.
The Role National Governing Bodies Play in Athlete Safety
National Governing Bodies (NGBs) are the organizations responsible for overseeing specific sports in the United States. Examples include:
- USA Gymnastics
- USA Swimming
- USA Soccer
- USA Track & Field
- USA Hockey
These organizations are responsible for setting rules, certifying coaches, overseeing clubs and competitions, and enforcing safety policies across thousands of affiliated programs nationwide.
NGBs are not passive entities. They control access to competition, funding, training pathways, and Olympic eligibility. With that authority comes responsibility.
When abuse occurs within these systems, the issue is rarely limited to one individual coach. Instead, sports-related abuse lawsuits have uncovered evidence of systemic problems and even cover-ups that allow abusers to harm athletes and avoid consequences for years. When this happens, the organizations overseeing abusive coaches and other sports staff can be held legally responsible as well.
Why SafeSport Suspensions Focus on Individuals—Not Institutions
The U.S. Center for SafeSport has certain authority that is primarily limited to regulating individual participation in sports. When it investigates abuse, the primary question is whether a specific person violated SafeSport policies.
If the answer is yes, SafeSport may:
- Suspend the individual
- Restrict their participation
- Permanently ban them from participating in the sport or having access to athletes
These sanctions remove dangerous individuals from athlete environments, which is critically important.
What SafeSport does not do is impose meaningful consequences on the organizations that allowed abuse to occur and continue.
SafeSport does not:
- Fine National Governing Bodies
- Compensate survivors
- Force institutional reform through damages
- Evaluate long-term organizational negligence
This limitation is not accidental—it reflects SafeSport’s narrow mandate.
Why Banning an Abusive Coach Does Not Equal Accountability
A SafeSport ban answers only one question:
Should this person be allowed to work with athletes?
Survivors and families are often left with far more pressing concerns:
- Why were warning signs ignored?
- Why was the coach allowed to have continued access to athletes?
- Why were complaints mishandled, unaddressed, or buried?
- Why did the organization prioritize winning, funding, or reputation over safety?
Those questions point directly to institutional failure, not just individual misconduct. Under this system, a banned coach may lose access to the sport, while an organization may incur no consequences and avoid all responsibility.
NGB Liability for Abuse: How Organizations Can Be Held Responsible
National Governing Bodies can be held legally accountable when abuse occurs as a result of organizational negligence or systemic failure. NGB liability for abuse often involves allegations such as:
- Failing to properly vet or screen coaches
- Ignoring prior complaints or red flags
- Allowing known abusers to transfer between clubs where they can target different athletes
- Inadequate supervision of affiliated programs
- Poor enforcement of safety policies
- Retaliation against athletes who reported abuse
These failures are not addressed by SafeSport suspensions. They are only addressed through civil lawsuits, which allow survivors to take action against organizations that failed to keep them safe.
Why Civil Lawsuits Are the Only Path to Financial Accountability
SafeSport has no authority to require National Governing Bodies to pay financial damages, regardless of the severity of the organization’s failures. A civil lawsuit, on the other hand, can seek financial payment to benefit abuse survivors, such as:
- Compensation for therapy and medical care
- Damages for pain and suffering
- Accountability for lost opportunities
- Financial consequences that incentivize reform
This is why survivors who want to sue a National Governing Body must turn to the civil court system and file a claim against not only the individual perpetrator, but also any entities that allowed the abuse through negligent behavior or failure to act.
Without lawsuits, NGBs may continue operating as usual—issuing statements, revising policies on paper, and absorbing reputational harm without meaningful consequences.
How USA Gymnastics Lawsuits Led the Shift Toward Institutional Accountability
The public reckoning involving USA Gymnastics fundamentally changed how people understand abuse in sports.
While individual perpetrators were removed, investigations and lawsuits revealed a far deeper problem: systemic institutional failure that allowed abuse to persist for years.
Civil litigation exposed:
- Repeated complaints that were ignored
- Internal knowledge of abuse without meaningful action
- Decisions that protected the gymnastics organization rather than the athletes
The resulting USA Gymnastics lawsuits demonstrated a critical truth: abuse in sports is often enabled by institutions, not just individuals. Sadly, that lesson extends far beyond gymnastics.
Why National Governing Bodies Are Uniquely Positioned to Prevent Abuse
NGBs sit at the top of the sports hierarchy. These organizations:
- Certify coaches
- Approve clubs and competitions
- Control access to elite pathways
- Set mandatory policies
When NGBs fail to enforce safety rules or respond to complaints, abuse can spread across entire networks of clubs and programs unchecked. Simply filing a SafeSport report is not enough to hold NGBs responsible for the harm athletes suffer.
Civil lawsuits compel these organizations to account for decisions made at the highest levels—decisions that SafeSport investigations often fail to thoroughly examine. Through the litigation discovery process, evidence has been uncovered that reveals the role organizations play in permitting abuse to thrive in US sports.
As part of civil litigation, a judge or jury can require NGBs to change their policies in ways that will protect future athletes from suffering similar harm, as well as requiring payment for the losses suffered by survivors of past abuse.
SafeSport Serves NGBs—It Does Not Police Them
Although SafeSport was created to address abuse in sports, it exists in a complicated relationship with National Governing Bodies. Specifically, SafeSport:
- Relies on NGBs for reporting compliance
- Does not independently restructure NGB operations
- Does not impose financial penalties on NGBs
As a result, survivors sometimes discover that the very organizations SafeSport was meant to investigate are shielded from meaningful consequences unless civil litigation is pursued. This reality explains why survivors searching for a SafeSport lawyer often end up exploring broader legal strategies focused on institutional accountability.
Can I Sue an NGB Even If SafeSport Banned the Coach?
Yes. A SafeSport suspension does not prevent a civil lawsuit against a National Governing Body. The two processes are separate and serve different purposes:
- SafeSport determines participation eligibility
- Civil courts determine legal responsibility and damages
An NGB can be sued even if:
- The coach was permanently banned
- The abuse occurred years ago
- SafeSport has already closed its investigation
What matters is whether the organization’s actions—or inaction—contributed to the harm.
Why NGB Lawsuits Drive Real Change
Financial accountability changes behavior. When National Governing Bodies face lawsuits, they are forced to:
- Produce internal documents
- Answer questions under oath
- Defend their safety practices publicly
- Confront the real cost of negligence
Settlements and verdicts often lead to changes that policies alone never achieve. From a survivor perspective, lawsuits can validate experiences that were minimized or ignored within internal systems.
How To Share the Emotional Weight of Suing a Powerful Sports Organization
Deciding to sue a National Governing Body is not easy. Many survivors struggle with fear, guilt, or concern about retaliation or public scrutiny. These concerns are understandable. NGBs are powerful, well-funded organizations with vast legal teams and public relations resources.
This is why abuse survivors who pursue these claims often take action with the guidance and support of experienced counsel. They deserve to work with someone who understands both the legal landscape and the emotional toll of institutional abuse cases to ensure their rights are protected throughout the process.
Why Legal Guidance Matters in NGB Abuse Claims
Claims involving National Governing Bodies are complex. They may involve:
- Multiple defendants across jurisdictions
- Decades-old conduct
- Confidentiality and privacy concerns
- Overlapping SafeSport and civil proceedings
An experienced legal team can help survivors understand whether an NGB lawsuit is viable and what accountability may realistically look like.
Accountability Beyond the Ban
A SafeSport suspension removes an individual from sport. A civil lawsuit forces an institution to answer for its failures. Both matter—but they are not interchangeable.
For survivors seeking acknowledgment, compensation, and meaningful change, holding National Governing Bodies accountable through civil litigation is often the only path that addresses the full scope of harm and leads to true justice.
Why Survivors Trust Dolman Law Group to Handle Sports Abuse Claims
Dolman Law Group represents survivors nationwide in sexual abuse cases involving powerful institutions, including sports organizations and National Governing Bodies. Our team of compassionate abuse injury lawyers understands:
- How SafeSport processes intersect with civil claims
- How institutional negligence enables abuse
- How to pursue accountability without retraumatizing survivors
Reach out to speak with one of our lawyers. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about your options. You will never be required to file a lawsuit unless and until you are ready. We will answer your questions and provide information, so you can decide whether pursuing an NGB abuse claim feels right for you.
For survivors who believe a SafeSport suspension was not enough, learning about legal options may be an important next step. Contact us today by completing our confidential online contact form. We are here to listen to your story and help you make the best possible decisions.
In many cases, the answer is yes.
The Role National Governing Bodies Play in Athlete Safety
National Governing Bodies (NGBs) are the organizations responsible for overseeing specific sports in the United States. Examples include:
- USA Gymnastics
- USA Swimming
- USA Soccer
- USA Track & Field
- USA Hockey
These organizations are responsible for setting rules, certifying coaches, overseeing clubs and competitions, and enforcing safety policies across thousands of affiliated programs nationwide.
NGBs are not passive entities. They control access to competition, funding, training pathways, and Olympic eligibility. With that authority comes responsibility.
When abuse occurs within these systems, the issue is rarely limited to one individual coach. Instead, sports-related abuse lawsuits have uncovered evidence of systemic problems and even cover-ups that allow abusers to harm athletes and avoid consequences for years. When this happens, the organizations overseeing abusive coaches and other sports staff can be held legally responsible as well.
Why SafeSport Suspensions Focus on Individuals—Not Institutions
The U.S. Center for SafeSport has certain authority that is primarily limited to regulating individual participation in sports. When it investigates abuse, the primary question is whether a specific person violated SafeSport policies.
If the answer is yes, SafeSport may:
- Suspend the individual
- Restrict their participation
- Permanently ban them from participating in the sport or having access to athletes
These sanctions remove dangerous individuals from athlete environments, which is critically important.
What SafeSport does not do is impose meaningful consequences on the organizations that allowed abuse to occur and continue.
SafeSport does not:
- Fine National Governing Bodies
- Compensate survivors
- Force institutional reform through damages
- Evaluate long-term organizational negligence
This limitation is not accidental—it reflects SafeSport’s narrow mandate.
Why Banning an Abusive Coach Does Not Equal Accountability
A SafeSport ban answers only one question:
Should this person be allowed to work with athletes?
Survivors and families are often left with far more pressing concerns:
- Why were warning signs ignored?
- Why was the coach allowed to have continued access to athletes?
- Why were complaints mishandled, unaddressed, or buried?
- Why did the organization prioritize winning, funding, or reputation over safety?
Those questions point directly to institutional failure, not just individual misconduct. Under this system, a banned coach may lose access to the sport, while an organization may incur no consequences and avoid all responsibility.
NGB Liability for Abuse: How Organizations Can Be Held Responsible
National Governing Bodies can be held legally accountable when abuse occurs as a result of organizational negligence or systemic failure. NGB liability for abuse often involves allegations such as:
- Failing to properly vet or screen coaches
- Ignoring prior complaints or red flags
- Allowing known abusers to transfer between clubs where they can target different athletes
- Inadequate supervision of affiliated programs
- Poor enforcement of safety policies
- Retaliation against athletes who reported abuse
These failures are not addressed by SafeSport suspensions. They are only addressed through civil lawsuits, which allow survivors to take action against organizations that failed to keep them safe.
Why Civil Lawsuits Are the Only Path to Financial Accountability
SafeSport has no authority to require National Governing Bodies to pay financial damages, regardless of the severity of the organization’s failures. A civil lawsuit, on the other hand, can seek financial payment to benefit abuse survivors, such as:
- Compensation for therapy and medical care
- Damages for pain and suffering
- Accountability for lost opportunities
- Financial consequences that incentivize reform
This is why survivors who want to sue a National Governing Body must turn to the civil court system and file a claim against not only the individual perpetrator, but also any entities that allowed the abuse through negligent behavior or failure to act.
Without lawsuits, NGBs may continue operating as usual—issuing statements, revising policies on paper, and absorbing reputational harm without meaningful consequences.
How USA Gymnastics Lawsuits Led the Shift Toward Institutional Accountability
The public reckoning involving USA Gymnastics fundamentally changed how people understand abuse in sports.
While individual perpetrators were removed, investigations and lawsuits revealed a far deeper problem: systemic institutional failure that allowed abuse to persist for years.
Civil litigation exposed:
- Repeated complaints that were ignored
- Internal knowledge of abuse without meaningful action
- Decisions that protected the gymnastics organization rather than the athletes
The resulting USA Gymnastics lawsuits demonstrated a critical truth: abuse in sports is often enabled by institutions, not just individuals. Sadly, that lesson extends far beyond gymnastics.
Why National Governing Bodies Are Uniquely Positioned to Prevent Abuse
NGBs sit at the top of the sports hierarchy. These organizations:
- Certify coaches
- Approve clubs and competitions
- Control access to elite pathways
- Set mandatory policies
When NGBs fail to enforce safety rules or respond to complaints, abuse can spread across entire networks of clubs and programs unchecked. Simply filing a SafeSport report is not enough to hold NGBs responsible for the harm athletes suffer.
Civil lawsuits compel these organizations to account for decisions made at the highest levels—decisions that SafeSport investigations often fail to thoroughly examine. Through the litigation discovery process, evidence has been uncovered that reveals the role organizations play in permitting abuse to thrive in US sports.
As part of civil litigation, a judge or jury can require NGBs to change their policies in ways that will protect future athletes from suffering similar harm, as well as requiring payment for the losses suffered by survivors of past abuse.
SafeSport Serves NGBs—It Does Not Police Them
Although SafeSport was created to address abuse in sports, it exists in a complicated relationship with National Governing Bodies. Specifically, SafeSport:
- Relies on NGBs for reporting compliance
- Does not independently restructure NGB operations
- Does not impose financial penalties on NGBs
As a result, survivors sometimes discover that the very organizations SafeSport was meant to investigate are shielded from meaningful consequences unless civil litigation is pursued. This reality explains why survivors searching for a SafeSport lawyer often end up exploring broader legal strategies focused on institutional accountability.
Can I Sue an NGB Even If SafeSport Banned the Coach?
Yes. A SafeSport suspension does not prevent a civil lawsuit against a National Governing Body. The two processes are separate and serve different purposes:
- SafeSport determines participation eligibility
- Civil courts determine legal responsibility and damages
An NGB can be sued even if:
- The coach was permanently banned
- The abuse occurred years ago
- SafeSport has already closed its investigation
What matters is whether the organization’s actions—or inaction—contributed to the harm.
Why NGB Lawsuits Drive Real Change
Financial accountability changes behavior. When National Governing Bodies face lawsuits, they are forced to:
- Produce internal documents
- Answer questions under oath
- Defend their safety practices publicly
- Confront the real cost of negligence
Settlements and verdicts often lead to changes that policies alone never achieve. From a survivor perspective, lawsuits can validate experiences that were minimized or ignored within internal systems.
How To Share the Emotional Weight of Suing a Powerful Sports Organization
Deciding to sue a National Governing Body is not easy. Many survivors struggle with fear, guilt, or concern about retaliation or public scrutiny. These concerns are understandable. NGBs are powerful, well-funded organizations with vast legal teams and public relations resources.
This is why abuse survivors who pursue these claims often take action with the guidance and support of experienced counsel. They deserve to work with someone who understands both the legal landscape and the emotional toll of institutional abuse cases to ensure their rights are protected throughout the process.
Why Legal Guidance Matters in NGB Abuse Claims
Claims involving National Governing Bodies are complex. They may involve:
- Multiple defendants across jurisdictions
- Decades-old conduct
- Confidentiality and privacy concerns
- Overlapping SafeSport and civil proceedings
An experienced legal team can help survivors understand whether an NGB lawsuit is viable and what accountability may realistically look like.
Accountability Beyond the Ban
A SafeSport suspension removes an individual from sport. A civil lawsuit forces an institution to answer for its failures. Both matter—but they are not interchangeable.
For survivors seeking acknowledgment, compensation, and meaningful change, holding National Governing Bodies accountable through civil litigation is often the only path that addresses the full scope of harm and leads to true justice.
Why Survivors Trust Dolman Law Group to Handle Sports Abuse Claims
Dolman Law Group represents survivors nationwide in sexual abuse cases involving powerful institutions, including sports organizations and National Governing Bodies. Our team of compassionate abuse injury lawyers understands:
- How SafeSport processes intersect with civil claims
- How institutional negligence enables abuse
- How to pursue accountability without retraumatizing survivors
Reach out to speak with one of our lawyers. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about your options. You will never be required to file a lawsuit unless and until you are ready. We will answer your questions and provide information, so you can decide whether pursuing an NGB abuse claim feels right for you.
For survivors who believe a SafeSport suspension was not enough, learning about legal options may be an important next step. Contact us today by completing our confidential online contact form. We are here to listen to your story and help you make the best possible decisions.
