The U.S. Center for SafeSport has dismissed CEO Ju'Riese Colón following the hiring of investigator Jason Krasley, who now faces multiple felony charges, including rape and sex trafficking. Colón, who led the organization since 2019, faced criticism over prolonged case processing times and systemic operational issues. The Center's failure to adequately vet Krasley, despite prior investigations into his conduct, led to public outcry and a congressional investigation. Board chair April Holmes has assumed interim leadership.

Established in 2017, the U.S. Center for SafeSport is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending all forms of abuse in sport. It serves as an independent entity responsible for investigating and resolving allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse within Olympic and Paralympic sports. The Center handles cases from elite levels down to grassroots sports, overseeing approximately 11 million athletes. As of late 2024, the Center was receiving over 150 new reports weekly but had fewer than three dozen full-time investigators to manage these cases.

Ju'Riese Colón became CEO of the U.S. Center for SafeSport in July 2019. Prior to this role, she served as the National Vice President of Child & Club Safety for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, where she developed and led child safety policies for over 1,100 organizations and nearly 4,300 locations across the United States. Before that, Colón was the Executive Director of Prevention & Outreach for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), leading prevention and education programs related to child abduction and sexual exploitation. She holds bachelor's degrees in criminal justice and Spanish from Virginia Commonwealth University.

In 2021, the U.S. Center for SafeSport hired Jason Krasley, a former police officer from Allentown, Pennsylvania, as an investigator. Krasley had left the Allentown Police Department in 2021 and joined SafeSport shortly thereafter. In November 2024, Krasley was arrested for allegedly stealing $5,500 from a drug bust he conducted while on the police force. Upon learning of this arrest, the Center terminated his employment.

In January 2025, Krasley was arrested again and charged with felony rape and involuntary sexual servitude for crimes allegedly committed between 2011 and 2015 while he was a police officer. These charges raised significant concerns about the Center's hiring practices and its ability to protect athletes from abuse.

The revelations about Krasley's past and his role within the U.S. Center for SafeSport prompted a congressional investigation led by Senator Chuck Grassley. In a letter to Colón, Grassley expressed concern over the Center's hiring practices and the potential impact on its mission to protect athletes from abuse. He emphasized that "accusations of rape and other sex crimes against any SafeSport investigator are especially concerning given SafeSport's mandate to protect athletes from similar abuse."

Under Colón's leadership, the Center faced criticism for lengthy case processing times and systemic operational issues. The organization struggled to manage an increasing caseload with limited staff, leading to delays and dissatisfaction among both victims and the accused. The hiring of Krasley, despite prior investigations into his conduct, further highlighted deficiencies in the Center's vetting and hiring processes.

Following Colón's dismissal, Board Chair April Holmes assumed interim leadership of the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Holmes, a Paralympic gold medalist and advocate for athlete safety, stated, "We are grateful for Ju'Riese's leadership and service. As we look ahead, we will continue to ... ."

The dismissal of Ju'Riese Colón and the circumstances leading to it have significant social and societal implications:

• Trust in Protective Institutions: The incident undermines public trust in organizations tasked with safeguarding athletes from abuse.

• Vetting and Hiring Practices: It highlights the critical importance of thorough background checks and vetting processes, especially for positions involving the protection of vulnerable populations.

• Accountability and Oversight: The situation underscores the need for robust oversight mechanisms to ensure that organizations fulfill their mandates effectively and ethically.

• Support for Victims: The mishandling of cases and the involvement of individuals with questionable backgrounds can retraumatize victims and deter others from coming forward.

As the U.S. Center for Safe ... navigates this crisis, the focus will be on implementing reforms to restore public trust and ensure the safety of athletes across all levels of sport.