Another Leadership Search for USA Gymnastics

(ATR) The Board of Directors of USA Gymnastics says President Kerry Perry announced her immediate resignation from the National Governing Body.

Perry had been at the helm of USA Gymnastics for only nine months, the first hire in the wake of former President Steve Penny’s resignation. Perry had been pushed to resign in wake of the Larry Nassar scandal, which has engulfed the NGB.

Nassar is currently serving multiple life sentences in prison for possession of child pornography and hundreds of cases of child abuse during his tenure at Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics. Multiple Olympic medalists have shared stories of Nassar abusing them at the Olympic Games.

"On behalf of the Board of USA Gymnastics, I want to thank Kerry for her leadership under very difficult circumstances," Karen Golz, chairman of USA Gymnastics board of directors, said in a statement.

"In the wake of horrific events that have impacted our athletes and the entire gymnastics community, USA Gymnastics has made progress in stabilizing itself and setting a new path to ensure that the safety and interests of our athletes remains at the heart of our mission."

Perry’s job had been in jeopardy since new United States Olympic Committee chief executive Sarah Hirshland told USA Today last week that she could "offer nothing but disappointment" about the progress USA Gymnastics had been making.

USA Gymnastics said in its statement that a management committee will run the organization until an interim president is named in the wake of Perry’s departure. A search committee consisting of board members and "athletes and others from the gymnastics and NGB community" will be formed to find a long-term replacement.

Perry had been unanimously appointed in November 2017 in the months after Penny’s resignation. However, the board that approved her hire was asked to resign en masse by the USOC two months later.

Perry’s time leading USA Gymnastics was marked by navigating a number of civil lawsuits that named the NGB as part of the Nassar scandal, and a lack of transparency with the media. Her first official media press conference came more than nine months after she assumed the job and contained little of substance, according to reporters in attendance. Perry also testified multiple times before Congress as part of ongoing Congressional investigations into how U.S. sport has handled cases of harassment and abuse.

Gymnasts beginning competition for the 2020 Olympic cycle were critical of Perry’s leadership, and doubted her claims of seeking out and speaking with Nassar’s victims. A number of bad headlines piled up during the 2018 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, the site of her first press conference.

Rio 2016 gold medalist Simone Biles told reporters before the championships that "it’s kind of hard" to see the direction of the NGB under Perry. Biles said that Perry needed to be making more public statements on behalf of the organization.

"I want more," Chellsie Memmel, a gymnast on the search committee that hired Perry, told USA Today at the championships. "Going into it, our expectation was (she was) going to be the face of USA Gymnastics and the positive change and the positive force. So to me, that’s been a little bit disappointing, and I’d like to see more."

Most recently, the NGB came under fire for hiring Mary Lee Tracy to lead its women’s elite development program.

Tracey was criticized after posting statements in 2016 perceived to be in support of Nassar, saying he had "been amazing," citing positive personal experiences.

USA Gymnastics said it parted ways with Tracey less than a week after her hiring, citing inappropriate contact with a Nassar survivor. Tracey had reportedly attempted to discuss criticisms of her hiring with the survivor.

"We strongly believe in a culture that encourages our athletes and survivors to speak up and make their voices heard," USA Gymnastics said in a statement about the decision.

Whoever USA Gymnastics appoints will take over an organization still working through its reforms required from the Deborah Daniels report and facing legal challenges.

"I want to assure you that this board is determined to take the necessary steps to support a safe and competitive environment where every athlete can grow, learn life lessons, have fun and succeed," Golz said in an open letter posted on the USA Gymnastics website. "We know the last few years have been very difficult for everyone involved with USA Gymnastics, and we thank you for your patience and support through these challenging days."

Written by Aaron Bauer

For general comments or questions, click here .

25 Years at # 1: Your best source for news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com , for subscribers only.