The letter was sent to individual members and clubs on Thursday, Agence France-Presse reported.

"Let me be clear: USA Swimming does not tolerate sexual abuse or misconduct, and I assure you that this organization is facing this extremely serious issue with one very clear goal - protecting children and athletes," Hinchey wrote.

"We will not shy away from acknowledging or supporting survivors of abuse, and we will strive to ensure that there is never a lapse of a support system again."

Former Olympian and world champion swimmer Ariana Kukors went public this month with allegations that her former coach Sean Hutchison sexually abused her for a decade, starting when she was a minor.

Hutchison has denied the accusation, saying he and Kukors were in a relationship after the 2012 Olympics in LOndon when she was 23 and he was 41.

Last week, the Orange County Register newspaper published a report based on "thousands of pages of documents" alleging that USA Swimming officials failed to adequately investigate "hundreds" of abuse allegations.

The focal point of many of the issues is the late Chuck Wielgus, a USA Swimming executive until his death in 2017.

The Register commented: "In the more than 20 years since Wielgus took charge of USA Swimming in July 1997, at least 252 swim coaches and officials have been arrested, charged by prosecutors, or disciplined by USAS for sexual abuse or misconduct against individuals under 18.

"Those coaches and officials have a total of at least 590 alleged victims, some of them abused while attending pre-school swim classes."

Another section of the report alleges that three US Olympic team head coaches and a USA Swimming vice-president were told in the 1980s that a world-renowned coach has sexually abused a female swimmer from when she was 12.

"Wielgus was informed of allegations against the coach at least three times in recent years," the report said. 

"But not only did USA Swimming not pursue a case against the coach, it allowed him to continue to have access to USA Swimming facilities, US Olympic and national team events, and the Olympic Training Center.

"USA Swimming even awarded the club owned and operated by him more than $40,000 (£29,000/€32,000) in grants.

"The coach was only banned after pleading guilty to sexual assault, more than a quarter-century after the abuse was first brought to the attention of the Olympic coaches."

The latest allegations follow the sexual abuse scandal within USA Gymnastics that led to former national team doctor Larry Nassar receiving sentences of 40-to-175 years, and 40-to-125 years.

At least 265 women gymnasts, including several Olympic gold medallists, revealed the 54-year-old Nassar had abused them over a period of two decades.

Hinchey’s letter continued: "While we disagree on several of the reported statements and many of the conclusions in recent media reports, members were failed, and we are doing everything we can to make sure it never happens again."

He vowed to work with survivors, the US Center for Safe Sport and law enforcement to hold abusers accountable and remove them from USA Swimming.

Hinchey’s letter came on the same day that Susan Woessner - USA Swimming’s senior director of Safe Sport - resigned.

A statement from the governing body said Woessner had recently informed them of a "personal interaction" with Hutchison in 2007, when she worked as the organisation’s times database coordinator.

Woessner said in her resignation letter that they had kissed.

She was named the body’s Athlete Protection Officer in 2010 - and did not reveal the interaction with Hutchison before USA Swimming’s investigation into his possible inappropriate behaviour with Kukors.

In her letter of resignation, Woessner said the probe was conducted by an outside investigator, but she offered her resignation to "keep the focus" on the efforts of her colleagues in protecting young athletes.

USA Swimming has previously faced charges of failing to deal with inappropriate behaviour by coaches.

In 2010, a television news investigation revealed myriad cases of sexual misconduct of various forms, revelations that finally led to more than 100 coaches being banned for life from working for USA Swimming or its affiliated clubs.