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ProPublica Investigates Coaches Banned for Abuse Who Continue Working in Youth Sports

Developing1 source · Sep 1, 2026

A year-long investigation found at least eight coaches barred by SafeSport, a congressionally created abuse prevention center, still working with young athletes through the Amateur Athletic Union.

ProPublica Investigates Coaches Banned for Abuse Who Continue Working in Youth Sports
Image via ProPublica

What happened

ProPublica has been investigating how youth sports organizations have failed to protect children from sexual abuse by coaches. The reporting identified eight coaches who remain active in the Amateur Athletic Union despite being banned by SafeSport, a federal center created to protect athletes from abuse that maintains a public list of banned individuals. One case involves Texas volleyball coach Ryan Richardson, who continued coaching after a SafeSport ban and is now under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security. The AAU stated it is "committed to protecting its athletes through comprehensive protection policies" but declined to comment on individual cases.

Context

SafeSport's public ban list is intended to be a tool that any organization can check to verify a coach's status, yet these cases suggest significant gaps in enforcement and oversight at the organizational level. The instances described indicate youth sports organizations may not be systematically checking the SafeSport list or may lack mechanisms to enforce bans across their operations. This creates ongoing risk to young athletes despite the existence of federal infrastructure designed to prevent such situations.

What's disputed

Richardson disputed allegations when first suspended in 2024, characterizing complaints as retaliation and defamation. He did not respond to requests for comment from ProPublica and The Washington Post regarding the investigation.