SafeSport Failure - Alleged Rapist Allowed to Time Largest National HS Meets

So this happened a while ago or on Nov. 2nd? I’m confused. Also, USTFCCA pays money to A.net I believe. Does the money they pay directly benefit a rapist if Dan owns A.net? Seems like money could be spent better elsewhere now.

He's charged with crimes that allegedly happened in 2021. Charges were filed on 11/27/24. He was taken into custody on 11/3/25.

Ok, that’s even more ridiculous then. you’re telling me SafeSport’s “background check” didn’t flag this guy for 4 years?! Also, why does it take a year to bring a rapist into custody?

I did not see the earlier date in the docs.

Safesport does not run background checks.

If the events took place in 2021, when did the victim come forward?

The judicial system moves slower in real life than it does on tv. Some of that could be the defense asking for delays and some could be in the court system having more cases than judges and such.

Just another left wing with a propensity for rape and violence.but you wouldn't find mainstream media talking about this.

Looks like USATF was made aware of this thread or whoever started it contacted USATF.

Statement from USA Track & Field on the arrest of Dan Bowdoin:
This week, USA Track & Field was made aware of the arrest and charges against Dan Bowdoin, COO of Athletic.net. We have been informed by Athletic.net that Dan is no longer with the organization and does not have access to any client information. While USATF engages with Athletic.net as a vendor, our relationship is with that organization and not any specific employees of the organization. USATF takes the safety of its constituents extremely seriously. We are committed to ensuring individuals doing business with this federation are subject to meticulous background checks annually and annual certification from the U.S. Center for SafeSport. The most recent background check on Mr. Bowdoin was completed prior to these charges being made public. He has not been credentialed by USATF to attend an event since 2023. The allegations against this individual are reprehensible. While the legal process continues, we affirm that such conduct has no place in this sport. We will not be making any additional comments at this time.

How would a background check catch a crime that had not been charged yet?

USATF said he has not worked with them since 2023. I highly doubt he would have filled out another background check after being charged with a crime like this.

Dan and David are brothers. As far as I know, David is the sole founder of athletic.net, but Dan began working for the company pretty early on.

There seems to be a lot of confusion among people here between the two, which makes me question if it was actually *Dan* who worked at the meets above? USATF says Dan has not been credentialed since 2023.

USATF's Safe Sport background checks are done every two years, so it is plausible that he could have cleared a background check prior to getting charged and continued to keep working events.

Being charged with this type of crime automatically makes someone ineligible to participate in the Olympic movement. You are ineligible until the charges are dropped or a jury finds you not guilty. If you plead (even to lesser offenses) or are found guilty, then you are permanently ineligible.

I cannot stress enough that USATF and the US Center for SafeSport ARE NOT MINDREADERS.

This case was not in the media!! And even when cases are in the media, they don't automatically know about them.

If you hear a rumor like this, report it to USATF or the Center, anonymously if you want. Let them sort out whether or not they have jurisdiction over someone.

True, look at the Central Park Five. Powerful elegies worked against them and got them convicted.

They don't even need a presumption of guilt to ruin someone's life. The 'seriousness of the allegation' is all they need to impose a "temporary" suspension... which can go on for years but can end an athlete's career (athletically and in terms of reputation) in far less time than that.

abuseofprocess.xyz

Temporary punishments permanently damage athletes' careers

George MJ Perry

A one-year ban is the “death penalty“ in college team sports. Ivan Desyatov’s career, and the Desyatov-Flores ice dancing team, could not survive a few months.

Link:abuseofprocess.xyz/p/safesport-tempora...

Well I’ll give Safe Sport this much: I can’t pick a needy kid and take him to practice in my car. So there is that you know. I mean Heaven forbid I help a kid out that way.

People are losing the plot here.

Dan was the public face of Athletic.Net and Athletic Timing for the last few years. There was an incident on or about New Years Day in 2021. In fall of 2024 he was apparently under investigation. It seems as though something happened in terms of discovery that changed the court's opinion of things and caused his release to be revoked, his bond was set at $1,000,000.

This is unrelated to SafeSport as he likely wouldn't need to register for it as a timer. Timers are not officials in the eyes of the USATF. I don't think he was coaching either. Maybe the USATF would require background checks for high end meets, but they do not for lower level things. (Bet they will going forward)

The State has set a three day trial for April of next year. This suggests a fair amount of evidence and witnesses to be called.

Think whatever you want about this, but it doesn't look great from the outside that the State decided after a year to push for a trial with the charges as serious as they are.

SafeSport always communicates who is on the suspended list each month.

I've yet to see them send an e-mail stating that Coach __________ of ___________ Athletics Club HAS BEEN CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES and FULLY REINSTATED.

Timers are considered officials and do have to be three-step compliant for certain USATF events. It is something that a number of timers grumbled about because timers are pretty notorious for NOT wanting to have any contact with athletes, but SafeSport isn't just about protecting athletes, it is about protecting everyone.

The background check is good for two years. You are supposed to report if you get charged with a crime like this, but there is little incentive to do so, because you usually end up suspended/banned either way.

Timers at USATF events are typically required to be SafeSport certified - anyone (not just officials) with access to athletes, which usually includes timers and related timing company staff. Also, timers for bigger events tend to be certified USATF officials - for example a certified official photo finish judge has to sign off on record applications.
"The current list of those required by USATF to be background screened and to complete SafeSport training is expansive. We currently require members of the following groups to be USATF 3-Step Safe Sport Compliant: National Office Staff, Board of Directors, registered coaches, certified officials, authorized agents, club officers, National Team staff, National Committee Chairs, Association leadership, Youth Committee members, AAC Committee Members, AAC Event Leaders, all meet volunteers in an official capacity, Youth Camp staff, vendors with access to athletes."

While valid for 2 years, the background checks are supposed to be automatically rechecked at the one year mark. Depending on the timing of the previous check/officials registration, a background check should have brought up the charges if it was run anytime in 2025.

I'm definitely curious if he was three-step compliant (on paper) and working at the USATF U20 meet (if he really was), or if somehow in the incredibly convoluted meet management of that event he wasn't and that fell through the cracks.

Bigger question is if anyone who is a covered individual knew about the charges, knew he was working at USATF sanctioned events, and failed to report them to USATF or SafeSport.

This is incorrect. Every timer working at a USATF-sanctioned competition should be both a USATF member and a certified official. This isn’t optional for any meet that carries legitimate sanctioning or record-eligibility implications. Certified timers are required to sign off on all record applications and must provide their USATF certification number as part of the documentation.
In addition, anyone credentialed to work at a USATF meet—timers, officials, announcers, media, etc.—must be Three-Step Compliant (membership, background screening, and SafeSport training). The only exception applies to one-time volunteers, who must complete a short orientation and sign the appropriate waiver form prior to participation.
It’s important to note that a background check only reflects convictions, while SafeSport violations depend on reports submitted to the U.S. Center for SafeSport. If an incident occurs and is not self-reported or reported by others, SafeSport would have no visibility until a complaint is filed and brought to light. This is why organizational self-reporting is a critical ethical responsibility, especially when misconduct surfaces.
If the company involved failed to self-report and instead attempted to quietly remove references or distance themselves after the fact, which seems to be the case, they could be exposed to organizational liability—both under SafeSport guidelines and in potential civil action. In a case like this, all affiliated entities (athletic.net, AthleticTiming and RunnerSpace) could indeed face scrutiny or legal exposure - Dan was the face of all three for a long time.