A Florida judge has strongly criticized the U.S. Center for SafeSport for allegedly committing fraud against the court and deliberately withholding exculpatory evidence in a legal matter concerning a teenage water polo player. This player, after bringing a complaint to the center, ended up being arrested at her high school for assault.
The recent ruling by Seminole County Judge John Woodard, which the center has labeled as a “stunt” aimed at undermining its authority, expunged any record of criminal proceedings against Kelsey McMullen. McMullen was 18 when SafeSport investigators passed evidence to police after interviewing a witness in a case involving a peer she had accused of bullying.
Law enforcement officials detained McMullen at her school and pursued an investigation that spanned over 14 months before ultimately dismissing the charges. Judge Woodard noted that prosecutors only had access to partial information from the center upon commencing the case in 2022. Additionally, the center was uncooperative with law enforcement when they initiated new cases against McMullen’s accusers and the center itself for submitting false reports.
While the ruling does not impose a penalty on the center, it represents an unusual legal rebuke to an organization established in 2017 to tackle sexual abuse in Olympic sports. SafeSport described the ruling as an effort “designed to interfere” with its duty to hold individuals accountable for sexual misconduct.
The center mentioned they provided a letter to the court, indicating their refusal to respond to subpoenas requesting sensitive claimant information. They emphasized that the subpoenas had to be legally processed through a Colorado Court to enable appropriate challenges.
“The Order lacks jurisdictional, factual, or legal justification,” the center stated. “The Center was not involved as a party in these criminal proceedings. Consequently, we were unaware, did not appear, nor were we provided an opportunity to present evidence or counter the false information given by the attorney to the court in this case.”
The court’s order accused the center of committing “fraud upon the court, the People of the State of Florida, the Sheriff’s Office, the State’s Attorney Office, and defendant,” and accused it of “intentionally withholding exculpatory evidence” as well as acting “in bad faith, intentionally, and with malice.”
Kelsey McMullen’s lawyer, Russell Prince, stated that the outcome was not unexpected to those familiar with dealing with the center. “These actions align with a regular pattern of behavior by the Center,” he remarked, adding that “this time, they were finally held accountable by standards of fairness and due process. Further, the Order is notably harsh, precise in its findings, and self-explanatory.”
