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NWBA Announces New Athlete Safety Policies: MAAPP & SafeSport Code

By NWBA, 07/29/24, 4:15PM CDT

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NWBA MAAPP will be effective as of August 1, 2024

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. – The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) is announcing the new athlete safety policies that will be in effect for the 2024-25 NWBA season. The NWBA will be  implementing an updated version of the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies beginning, August 1, 2024. A majority of the changes to the NWBA MAAPP include requested changes provided within the template provided by the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Additionally, the NWBA will make use of the new Safe Sport Code that became effective July 1, 2024, which features some noteworthy changes and revisions.


Click the link below to read the MAAPP (at www.nwba.org/safesport)

Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) Updates

What is the MAAPP?

The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 authorizes the U.S. Center for SafeSport (The Center) to develop training and policies to prevent abuse—including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse—within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement. The Center developed the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) to assist National Governing Bodies (NGBs), which includes the NWBA, as well as Local Affiliated Organizations (LAOs), the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and other individuals to whom these policies apply in meeting their obligations under federal law. The MAAPP is a collection of proactive prevention and training policies for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement—the primary components are:

1. Organizational Requirements for Education & Training and Prevention Policies;

2. An Education & Training Policy that requires training for certain Adult Participants within the Olympic and Paralympic Movement;

3. Required Prevention Policies, focused on limiting one-on-one interactions between Adult Participants and Minor Athletes that Organizations within the Olympic and Paralympic Movement must implement to prevent abuse; 

When is it changing?

The MAAPP is revised periodically in an effort to continue to improve minor athlete safety. The NWBA will implement The Center’s 2025 version of the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies at the beginning of the 2024-2025 season.

Is the MAAPP different from the SafeSport Code?

Yes. The SafeSport Code works alongside the MAAPP to prevent abuse. The MAAPP includes proactive prevention policies for organizations and individuals, while the SafeSport Code contains misconduct policies for individuals.  However, violations of the MAAPP can violate the SafeSport Code, and violators who are also Participants can be sanctioned.


Click the link below to read the the SafeSport Code | U.S. Center for SafeSport

SafeSport Code Updates

What is the Code?

The SafeSport Code defines the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s authority and jurisdiction, prohibited categories of abuse and misconduct, and the Center’s process for responding to and resolving abuse and misconduct claims affecting the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement. The Code applies to all Participants (defined within) in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement and federal law dictates the Center’s authority and jurisdiction within the Movement. 

When is it changing?

The Code was first introduced March 3, 2017 and is revised periodically. Effective July 1, 2024, the new SafeSport Code features noteworthy changes and revisions, which apply to all Participants in the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Movement. To explore these changes in detail, view the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s 2024 SafeSport Code Webinar. WATCH WEBINAR.