Successful resolution reached in Grievance and USOC Complaint involving USA Wrestling Women's Program
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by Joint release
USA Wrestling and Patricia Miranda, Sara McMann and Randi Miller (Athletes) have come to an Agreement to resolve the Grievance filed with USA Wrestling and a Section 10 Complaint filed by the Athletes with the United States Olympic Committee concerning USA Wrestling's compliance with the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (the Sports Act). The Agreement was reached on January 12 in Denver, Colorado as part of a mediation process.
Among the provisions of the Agreement is the creation of a women�s wrestling Oversight Committee. This Oversight Committee will evaluate USA Wrestling�s compliance with the Sports Act, will focus on ensuring equitable support and encouragement of women's wrestling by USA Wrestling in contrast to the men's programs, and will make determinations on the appropriateness of the women's camp schedules, sanctions, and High Performance Plans. This Oversight Committee will also be empowered to receive inquiries or complaints from athletes or other USA Wrestling members concerning USA Wrestling's equitable support and encouragement for women.
The Oversight Committee will seek input from USA Wrestling and the Athletes regarding USA Wrestling's compliance with the Sports Act's requirement for the "prompt and equitable" resolution of grievances, in response to which USA Wrestling will develop and institute a definitive policy.
The Oversight Committee will be composed of the chairs of USA Wrestling's three Sport Committees (including the Women's Sport Committee) and two female athletes.
Also agreed upon is a meeting between representatives from the USOC, USA Wrestling, and the Athletes to discuss policy issues from the perspective of the USOC on mandatory camp schedules and sanction policy for the express purpose of informing the Oversight Committee and USA Wrestling of any such policy recommendations.
A three-person Review Panel was appointed in September 2009 by USA Wrestling President James Ravannack to examine aspects of USA Wrestling women�s program as well as the Grievance. Some of the provisions of the Settlement Agreement were a result of the panel�s work, including the recommendation for a coaching review.
The Settlement Agreement includes that USA Wrestling will promptly establish an ad-hoc independent Coach Review Committee. Key provisions of the Agreement ensure that members of the Review Committee shall have no personal connection with USA Wrestling or the Athletes and have no conflicting interests that might compromise an impartial review. The Coach Review Committee will evaluate and review the National Programs for equity in coaching caliber and skill level. This Committee will report its findings, including any conclusions as to inequities, to USA Wrestling with the goal of improving the women's wrestling program.
USA Wrestling will appoint its Chair of the Women�s Sport Committee and Sara McMann to the Diversity Committee. The Diversity Committee shall be directed by USA Wrestling to encourage more participation by women on its Board of Directors and its committees.
The USA Wrestling's Women's Sports Committee shall be asked to investigate concerns of Women's College Wrestling Association and make recommendations on how USA Wrestling can improve its relationship to the women's development pipeline.
"We are encouraged and believe this process will ultimately make our women's program better," said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. "This Agreement improves our communication with athletes in our organization thereby achieving better performances on all levels. USA Wrestling is proud to work in a cooperative and collaborative manner with athletes to make certain its programs are as effective and successful as possible. This offers a unique opportunity for the women's wrestling community to work together for the benefit of the sport."
The Athletes who brought the Grievance are the only three U.S. women wrestlers to win an Olympic medal.
:We are pleased that USA Wrestling is taking steps to improve, influence, and direct the Women's Wrestling programs in a positive direction," said Patricia Miranda, one of the Athletes involved. "As we move forward it's imperative that a sport's governance body - from coaching to opportunities to sanctions - treats every athlete with equal support and encouragement, not so much for the benefit of an individual, but rather for the benefit of the sport, the community, and our next generation of competitors."
Online version of this Joint Press Statement:
http://pressbox.teamusa.org/Pages/Successful-resolution-reached-in-Grievance-and-USOC-Complaint-involving-USA-Wrestling-Women-s-Program.aspx
// This is a joint release from USA Wrestling and the three Claimants involved in the Section 10 that was filed with the United States Olympic Committee. Point of contact for USA Wrestling is: Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling Director of Communications and Special Projects, 719-659-9637. Point of contact for the Claimants is: Nathan Fisk, 719-359-1244.
Among the provisions of the Agreement is the creation of a women�s wrestling Oversight Committee. This Oversight Committee will evaluate USA Wrestling�s compliance with the Sports Act, will focus on ensuring equitable support and encouragement of women's wrestling by USA Wrestling in contrast to the men's programs, and will make determinations on the appropriateness of the women's camp schedules, sanctions, and High Performance Plans. This Oversight Committee will also be empowered to receive inquiries or complaints from athletes or other USA Wrestling members concerning USA Wrestling's equitable support and encouragement for women.
The Oversight Committee will seek input from USA Wrestling and the Athletes regarding USA Wrestling's compliance with the Sports Act's requirement for the "prompt and equitable" resolution of grievances, in response to which USA Wrestling will develop and institute a definitive policy.
The Oversight Committee will be composed of the chairs of USA Wrestling's three Sport Committees (including the Women's Sport Committee) and two female athletes.
Also agreed upon is a meeting between representatives from the USOC, USA Wrestling, and the Athletes to discuss policy issues from the perspective of the USOC on mandatory camp schedules and sanction policy for the express purpose of informing the Oversight Committee and USA Wrestling of any such policy recommendations.
A three-person Review Panel was appointed in September 2009 by USA Wrestling President James Ravannack to examine aspects of USA Wrestling women�s program as well as the Grievance. Some of the provisions of the Settlement Agreement were a result of the panel�s work, including the recommendation for a coaching review.
The Settlement Agreement includes that USA Wrestling will promptly establish an ad-hoc independent Coach Review Committee. Key provisions of the Agreement ensure that members of the Review Committee shall have no personal connection with USA Wrestling or the Athletes and have no conflicting interests that might compromise an impartial review. The Coach Review Committee will evaluate and review the National Programs for equity in coaching caliber and skill level. This Committee will report its findings, including any conclusions as to inequities, to USA Wrestling with the goal of improving the women's wrestling program.
USA Wrestling will appoint its Chair of the Women�s Sport Committee and Sara McMann to the Diversity Committee. The Diversity Committee shall be directed by USA Wrestling to encourage more participation by women on its Board of Directors and its committees.
The USA Wrestling's Women's Sports Committee shall be asked to investigate concerns of Women's College Wrestling Association and make recommendations on how USA Wrestling can improve its relationship to the women's development pipeline.
"We are encouraged and believe this process will ultimately make our women's program better," said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. "This Agreement improves our communication with athletes in our organization thereby achieving better performances on all levels. USA Wrestling is proud to work in a cooperative and collaborative manner with athletes to make certain its programs are as effective and successful as possible. This offers a unique opportunity for the women's wrestling community to work together for the benefit of the sport."
The Athletes who brought the Grievance are the only three U.S. women wrestlers to win an Olympic medal.
:We are pleased that USA Wrestling is taking steps to improve, influence, and direct the Women's Wrestling programs in a positive direction," said Patricia Miranda, one of the Athletes involved. "As we move forward it's imperative that a sport's governance body - from coaching to opportunities to sanctions - treats every athlete with equal support and encouragement, not so much for the benefit of an individual, but rather for the benefit of the sport, the community, and our next generation of competitors."
Online version of this Joint Press Statement:
http://pressbox.teamusa.org/Pages/Successful-resolution-reached-in-Grievance-and-USOC-Complaint-involving-USA-Wrestling-Women-s-Program.aspx
// This is a joint release from USA Wrestling and the three Claimants involved in the Section 10 that was filed with the United States Olympic Committee. Point of contact for USA Wrestling is: Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling Director of Communications and Special Projects, 719-659-9637. Point of contact for the Claimants is: Nathan Fisk, 719-359-1244.
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