A bipartisan congressional investigation has been launched into the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) following reports raising concerns about the organization’s handling of sexual abuse allegations and athlete protection policies.
According to an investigation published by The Washington Post and ProPublica in August 2026, the AAU allegedly failed to implement several child-protection reforms it announced in 2012. The reporting identified concerns involving coach screening, abuse-prevention training, disciplinary procedures, and the handling of sexual misconduct complaints.
The investigation also identified eight individuals who reportedly coached AAU-affiliated teams despite having been suspended or banned by other youth sports organizations.
On October 8, 2026, The Washington Post reported that bipartisan leaders of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee had launched an inquiry seeking information about the AAU’s athlete-safety policies, training requirements, handling of sexual abuse allegations, and disciplinary practices.
The AAU has stated that it is committed to protecting athletes through its safety policies and mandatory background screenings and that it will cooperate with congressional inquiries.
Sauder Schelkopf LLC, a national law firm representing survivors of sexual abuse, is following these developments.
Sources
The Washington Post, October 8, 2026 — Congress Launches Probe of Youth Sports Giant AAU
The Washington Post and ProPublica, August 13, 2026 — This National Youth Sports Organization Is Failing to Protect Kids From Sexual Abuse
Sauder Schelkopf is a nationally recognized law firm specializing in abuse litigation, with a proven track record of securing significant settlements and achieving systemic reforms for survivors.
Notable Achievements:
- University of Southern California (USC) Settlement: The firm, in collaboration with co-counsel, secured a historic $215 million settlement on behalf of female patients of Dr. George Tyndall, a USC gynecologist accused of sexual misconduct since the 1990s. This settlement is among the largest in sex abuse cases and includes provisions for systemic changes in reporting and investigating sexual abuse on campus.
- Ohio State University (OSU) Litigation: Representing former students and athletes, Sauder Schelkopf is involved in litigation concerning sexual misconduct by Dr. Richard Strauss, a former OSU doctor. In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear OSU’s appeal, allowing the case to proceed to trial.
- As of April 2026, Ohio State University has paid approximately $61 million to settle lawsuits from 317 men who alleged sexual abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss, a former team doctor.
- In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear OSU’s appeal, allowing lawsuits brought by alleged sexual abuse victims of Dr. Strauss to proceed.
- As of October 2023, five lawsuits involving 236 men remained pending.
- University of Michigan Settlement: The firm achieved a class action settlement against the University of Michigan, resulting in landmark institutional reforms addressing on-campus sexual misconduct.
Through these and other cases, Sauder Schelkopf has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advocating for survivors of sexual abuse, achieving substantial financial settlements, and driving meaningful changes within institutions to prevent future misconduct.
About Sauder Schelkopf
Sauder Schelkopf has a nationally recognized litigation practice. The firm currently serves as court-appointed lead counsel in courts across the country. The attorneys at Sauder Schelkopf have recovered over $1 billion on behalf of their clients and class members. Our firm was recognized by the Legal Intelligencer’s 2022 Professional Excellence Awards. The Legal Intelligencer’s Professional Excellence Awards honor Pennsylvania law firms and attorneys who have made a significant, positive impact on the legal profession. Our firm was named in the Litigation Departments of the Year (Specialty Area category; runner-up), an award that honors the best litigation practice in a small or mid-sized firm in Pennsylvania. This recognition was based on the firm’s 2021 litigation work and its important ongoing cases. LawDragon has recognized our attorneys in its list of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2022. This list notes: “From the opioid epidemic to toxic substances and defective products, truck accidents to wildfires and sexual abuse, these are the lawyers who stand on the front line in individual lawsuits and class actions seeking justice.” Mr. Schelkopf was named to Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers® 2022 for Class Actions/Mass Tort Litigation. The American Lawyer named Mr. Sauder to its 2021 Northeast Trailblazers. The honor recognizes 60 lawyers who are “truly agents of change.” It “recognizes professionals in the Northeast who have moved the needle in the legal industry.” The Legal Intelligencer named Mr. Sauder and Mr. Schelkopf in its 2020 Pennsylvania Trailblazers list recognizing 31 lawyers who “have taken extra measures to contribute to positive outcomes . . . and who are truly agents of change.” The Legal highlighted the firm’s innovative work on advocacy as class counsel in large institutional sex abuse cover-ups, women’s, and children’s rights. Our attorneys have also consistently been recognized by their peers being named to Pennsylvania SuperLawyer, a distinction held by the top 5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania. The National Trial Lawyers Association has also selected our attorneys as the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania.
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If you or a loved one experienced misconduct, contact our attorneys confidentially by completing the form on this page. Our firm has a long history of standing up for survivors.