The U.S. Olympic Committee has taken preliminary steps to revoke USA Gymnastics’ status as the governing body for the sport after it fumbled attempts to reorganize after a sexual abuse scandal.
In an open letter to the U.S. gymnastics community, U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland wrote, “You deserve better.” Invoking the decertification process would usher in new leadership, she added, acknowledging that the interim period could be rocky: “I do not know how long the process will take, and we will make every effort to proceed quickly.”
This dramatic step can be traced to the scandal that rocked the sport last year, when it came to light that a former team doctor, Larry Nassar, had abused hundreds of athletes under the guise of medical treatment. He is now serving the equivalent of a life sentence in prison.
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