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Soon-to-open Olympic SafeSport center hires CEO

DENVER (AP) The soon-to-open U.S. Center for SafeSport has hired the executive director of the Obama administration's youth fitness initiative as its CEO.

Shellie Pfohl will operate the SafeSport center, which was spearheaded by the U.S. Olympic Committee to oversee abuse prevention efforts in Olympic sports. It will be based in Denver and is set to open in January.

In 2010, Pfohl was appointed to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, which was a key element of first lady Michelle Obama's work to fight childhood obesity.

The USOC is bankrolling more than $10 million to fund the center's first five years, with national governing bodies of Olympic sports combining to provide another $5 million.