SafeSport Lifts Robert McDonald’s Ban for Life

Dressage

U.S.A.

Robert “Bob” McDonald, husband of U.S. Dressage Team trainer Debbie McDonald, has been removed from the U.S. Center For SafeSport’s suspension list.

McDonald contested the decision and provided information which prompted Safesport to change its decision.

On 10 June 2020 SafeSport banned McDonald for life, considering him guilty of "sexual conduct-involving minors.” As a result the hunter/jumper trainer was deemed permanently ineligible by both the U.S. Equestrian Federation and USA Hockey.

Safesport has now taken a U-turn on the decision. No hearing that took place, but SafeSport used an administrative tool that allows it to return to the matter.

In a statement to dressage-news.com, McDonald said:

“Last week, I provided additional information to SafeSport in advance of my arbitration hearing. Yesterday, my attorney received an email stating that all sanctions have been lifted, my name removed from the suspension list and my case closed. The accusations were false, have always been false and are now proven false. My family and I are relieved to have these accusations behind us. To all of you who wrote, emailed and spoke up on our behalf I cannot thank you enough.”

Safesport contacted Eurodressage and issued the following statement:

"SafeSport’s mission is to make athlete well-being the centerpiece of sport culture. It fulfills its critical purpose through policies, resources and tools aimed at preventing abuse as well as those that allow the Center to hold individuals accountable. Every matter is unique which is why the Center is equipped with tools, policies and procedures to account for the many variables inherent in this important and highly sensitive work. One such tool allows SafeSport to return to a matter when and if additional information is made available, including the participation of key witnesses. Such a decision is not taken lightly and is only made in the interest of fulfilling the Center’s mission.”