UPDATE: October 16,??? ????? ????? 2018, 4:11 PM:Following backlash to her now-deleted September tweet criticizing Nike, CNN reported that the new interim president and CEO of USA Gymnastics Mary Bono has resigned. The USA Gymnastics Board of Directors confirmed to Bono's resignation to Mashable in the following statement.
"The USA Gymnastics Board of Directors accepted the resignation of Mary Bono as interim president and CEO. Despite her commitment to the sport of gymnastics and helping the organization move forward, we believe this is in the best interest of the organization. We, as a Board, are committed to taking action when we believe a change of course is necessary and to being responsive to our gymnastics community.
While we continue the search for a permanent president and CEO and are currently seeking input from key stakeholders on that search, we remain steadfast in our efforts to fundamentally transform the organization at all levels to ensure athlete safety and well-being is at the heart of everything we do. We are also committed to making sure that the focus remains on the athletes – including this week as our men and women head to Doha to compete in the World Championships. While we have made progress, we have much more work to do. This board is determined to take the necessary steps to support a safe, inclusive and competitive environment where all our athletes and members can grow, have fun and achieve their goals."
Our original story follows below.
USA Gymnastics has finally hired a new interim president and CEO, and people are not happy.
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After former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar was sentencedto a maximum of 175 years in prison earlier this year for sexually assaulting girls and young women he treated over the span of his career, the organization hiredformer California Republican Congresswoman Mary Bono to take his place.
Bono used to work for the law firm Faegre Baker Daniels, which represented Nassar and reportedly provided"false excuses" for his absence from 2015 gymnastic events instead of revealing to patients and parents that he was under investigation due to sexual assault allegations.
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In response to news of Bono's appointment, gymnasts Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, and more voiced concern about the new president and criticized USA Gymnastics for its exceptionally poor handling of the entire situation.
SEE ALSO: 'No one should ever feel alone': Survivors say Nassar case sends powerful messageOn Monday, Raisman said in a tweet that both the United States Olympic Committee and lawyers at Bono's firm were notified of the abuse back in 2015, and claimed that despite their knowledge of the complaints, no one took action and Nassar continued to abuse those under his care.
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"Why hire someone associated with the firm that helped cover up our abuse?" Raisman asked. In a second tweet, she wrote, "Clearly this is not a 'new' USAG. Same corrupt decisions."
Raisman offered her fellow gymnasts support, thanked her supporters, and begged USA Gymnastics to take responsibility for its actions.
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Raisman received an outpouring of support online and other women who accused Nassarof sexual assault, including Biles and Kaylee Lorincz, commented publicly as well.
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On Saturday, Biles called Bono out for a now-deleted September tweet in which she criticized Nike. The athletic wear company recently received backlash for hiring Colin Kaepernick as a spokesperson, a former NFL player who was ousted for kneeling during the National Anthem to protest police brutality and violence against black people in America.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Biles, a Nike athlete, came to his defense, tweeting, "It's not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything."
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Bono tweeted on Saturday that she regrets the post.
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In an op-ed published Monday in The Boston Globe, Raisman wrote about how adults can fight the stigma surrounding child abuse, writing, "I am still hurting from the sexual abuse I suffered as a young athlete."
"Prevention is stigmatized, disclosure is stigmatized, reporting is stigmatized, prosecuting is stigmatized, talking publicly is stigmatized. No wonder it's a silent epidemic," she wrote. "Why does society make survivors feel so afraid to share our stories? Abusers should be the ones to feel shame and guilt and be judged, not survivors. It is completely backwards, and we need to flip the switch."
Raisman recently helped launch the #FlipTheSwitch Campaignin the hopes of making youth sports safer. Using the campaign's website, adults can easily take a free Darkness to LightStewards of Children online training course to educate themselves on how to prevent child sexual abuse.
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As Raisman and others continue to pressure USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee for answers and action, the organizations have yet to release official statements on site. We've reached out for comment from both organizations and will update should we hear back.
UPDATE: Oct. 16, 2018, 8:33 p.m. EDT After Bono's resignation was announced, Raisman issued a statement directed at her on Twitter on Tuesday evening.
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