USA Diving’s Board of Directors has been investigated by the USOC for allegations of self-dealing and conflicts of interest with the national governing body possibly facing decertification ©USA Diving

USA Diving's Board of Directors has been investigated by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) for allegations of self-dealing and conflicts of interest with the national governing body possibly facing decertification.

Sports Business Daily sources have said the investigation delved into a 2017 vote to distribute national membership revenue back to local clubs where top Board members have interests.

Investigators also asked about the role of USA Diving Board of Directors chair Michele Mitchell in bringing a major international competition in April to the Mission Viejo Nadadores Diving club, where she is head coach, and at least two other matters.

Rick Adams, the chief of sport performance and National Governing Body (NGB) services for the USOC, was reported as saying by Sports Business Daily that decertification is possible if the Board does not agree to reforms.

"Ultimately, if NGBs, diving or otherwise, fail to comply, the end result would ultimately be a section eight filing by the USOC," he added.

Among the matters investigators asked about was one that occurred in September of last year, when, according to documents seen by Sports Business Daily, the Board of Directors called upon then chief executive Lee Johnson to issue current member Sean McCarthy a $15,500 (£11,800/€13,700) bonus.

Steps could be taken to remove USA Diving's status as the official Olympic governing body for the sport ©Getty Images
Steps could be taken to remove USA Diving's status as the official Olympic governing body for the sport ©Getty Images

The bonus came after staff refused to approve more than $13,100 (£10,000/€11,600) in expenses that McCarthy submitted for reimbursement from his time as interim high-performance director in 2017. 

"Taking into account that there may have been discussions/understandings between McCarthy and the BOD with regards to expectations and compensation that the USA Diving national office may have been unaware of, or that McCarthy and the BOD alone were aware of, the BOD now authorises a one-time payment in the amount of $15,500," USA Diving acting chief executive Jack Perkins wrote according to documents.

USA Diving is one of a number of national governing body’s to be threatened with decertification by the USOC in recent times.

Threats aimed at USA Boxing, whose President John Brown is set to be replaced, also resulted from an investigation into a conflicts interest, according to Sports Business Journal.

USA Boxing executive director Mike McAtee confirmed to insidethegames that the organisation's President must come from one of its independent directors after it changed its bylaws.

Last year, the USOC began a process to decertify USA Gymnastics as the governing body for the sport in the country after the organisation failed to adequately respond to the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal.