California Court Rules That Sports Organizations Must Protect Athletes Sports governing organizations such as those for swimming and gymnastics have a duty to protect young athletes from sexual and other abuse and can be legally liable if they don’t, the California Supreme Court has ruled. In a case involving girls aspiring to be Olympians who were molested by their martial arts coach for years, the court held that USA Taekwondo could be held liable. But the court cleared the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee from liability because it did not have a relationship with the coach or athletes.