Misconduct charge bans Wellington equestrian trainer from Olympics

The U.S. Center for SafeSport has barred Wellington equestrian trainer Adam Daniel Cramer from participating in Olympic and Paralympic events.

An independent arbitrator determined Cramer violated the organization’s rules involving sexual conduct with minors, said the Denver-based nonprofit, which has federal authority to investigate misconduct in these sports.

However, the exact nature of the alleged conduct that led to Cramer’s lifetime ban remains unclear, and his wife has taken to social media to criticize the ruling, saying it dealt with matters settled long ago.

Cramer, a national Grand Prix rider, is the head trainer at Wellington’s Equi Sport LLC. He has worked for over 20 years in the training, import and sales company, which specializes in show jumpers, hunters and equitation horses, according to the company’s website

His wife, Lacy Cramer, said he had spent the last two decades coaching junior riders and helping to rehabilitate horses and riders. She described him as a trusted professional within the equestrian community.

The decision, announced Oct. 14, offered few details about the violations. SafeSport did not didn’t identify the specific conduct, criminal case or evidence, citing its practice to keep investigations confidential.

It was not immediately known if Cramer was training any Olympic or Paralympic hopefuls for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles when the arbiter issued the decision.

Cramer said the sanctions stem from cases dating back about two decades that were resolved through a plea agreement long before SafeSport existed.

In a Facebook post, she said the arbitration process relied on inaccurate information and incomplete records because the court files had been lost or purged over time.

“I believe in SafeSport’s mission, and I’m grateful it exists,” Lacy Cramer wrote. “But protection and punishment are not the same thing. A permanent ban based on a resolved matter from decades ago, built on an incomplete record, and without regard for time, context, or the life someone has built since, does not make any athlete safer.”

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A review of court records by The Palm Beach Post found that Cramer was charged in Virginia in 2005 and 2006 with taking “indecent liberties” with a child. Court records show the initial felony charges were reduced to contribution to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor.

Most records associated with the case are not available online, making it difficult to verify the details surrounding the allegations and plea agreement.

Available court records indicate a judge sentenced Cramer to six months in jail on the condition that, upon his release, he successfully complete a year of probation. Failure to do so would prompt an additional six months in jail.

It is unclear how or when the information that led to Cramer’s lifetime ban made its way to the Center for SafeSport. In December, it temporarily banned him from unsupervised coaching and training while it reviewed the matter.

SafeSport said respondents have the right to seek arbitration and that Cramer chose that option, which led to the lifetime ban. The decision is final, according to a SafeSport news release.

SafeSport said it does not publicly disclose details in most cases.

The organization said a criminal disposition refers either to a criminal charge or the indication of conduct prohibited under the SafeSport code.

Its disciplinary process is independent of the criminal courts and allows the nonprofit to impose sanctions while or after a court case is filed.

SafeSport’s decision effectively bars Cramer from participating in Olympic and Paralympic sports governed by organizations that recognize SafeSport, including the U.S. Equestrian Federation.

Valentina Palm covers immigration and breaking news for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today