All Board Members Of USA Gymnastics Have Resigned After A Demand From The US Olympic Committee

The committee said last week that if all remaining USA Gymnastics board members did not resign promptly, their status as the sport's national governing body would be terminated.

Last week, the US Olympic Committee demanded that all USA Gymnastics board members resign, and on Wednesday it was announced that they had. "USA Gymnastics has received resignations from all of the members of its Board of Directors," a tweet announcement read.

The organization is "in the process of moving forward with forming an interim Board of Directors during the month of February."

On Friday it was announced that all USA Gymnastics board members would resign in the wake of the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal in compliance with a demand issued by the US Olympic Committee.

The move came one day after the US Olympic Committee threatened to terminate USA Gymnastics's status as the governing body of the sport unless its entire board resigned.

Scott Blackmun, the CEO of the US Olympic Committee, sent the letter by email outlining six conditions USA Gymnastics must meet or the committee will "have no choice" but to pursue terminating USA Gymnastics's status as the administrator of the sport.

BREAKING: Here is the letter the head of the US Olympic Committee sent to USA Gymnastics today, including calling f… https://t.co/9R2ElfWtYM

The email was sent a day after Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in jail for sexually assaulting young athletes, including Olympic champions, under the guise of medical treatment.

"We do not base these requirements on any knowledge that any individual USAG staff or board members had a role in fostering or obscuring Nassar’s actions," Blackmun wrote. "Our position comes from a clear sense that USAG culture needs fundamental rebuilding."

A spokesperson for USA Gymnastics on Friday said the organization "will comply with the USOC requirements."

Nassar worked for USA Gymnastics for decades as a sports doctor. During Nassar's sentencing hearing, many women specifically called out the failure of USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee to protect them.

"I have represented the USA in two Olympics and have done so successfully," Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman, who accused Nassar of abuse, said at the hearing. "And both USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee have been very quick to capitalize and celebrate my success, but did they reach out when I came forward? No."

Blackmun wrote in his email Thursday that "we must take further action to ensure that it cannot happen again."

Four members of the USA Gymnastics board had already quit on Monday, but Blackmun said "reform must start with an entirely new board" and demanded all remaining members resign. An interim board must be in place by Feb. 28, he said, and will have 12 months to replace the interim directors. Those forced to resign cannot return as members of the new board.

USA Gymnastics must also cooperate with the independent investigation into who knew, who should have known, and when they knew about reports of abuse by Nassar, the letter stated.

The board must also meet and discuss plans for implementation of the 70 recommendations that were made by former federal prosecutor Deborah Daniels, who reviewed USA Gymnastics and found that it needed a "complete cultural change." After each meeting, USA Gymnastics must report the progress to the US Olympic Committee.

The USA Gymnastics staff and board members must also undergo a special SafeSport training and complete a comprehensive ethics training unit.

In response to the letter, USA Gymnastics said it "completely embraces the requirements."

"We understand that the requirements imposed by the letter will help us enhance our ability to build a culture of empowerment throughout the organization, with an increased focus on athlete safety and well-being," according to the statement.

Before Monday, former CEO and president Steve Penny was the only USA Gymnastics official to resign under pressure from the US Olympic Committee.

While many of the gymnasts said they were assaulted at Karolyi Ranch, the national team training center in Texas, USA Gymnastics announced only last week that it would no longer use the facility.

Lou Ann Simon, the president of Michigan State University, where Nassar was also employed for decades, resigned Wednesday night after the sentencing hearing.

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