Under-fire USA Gymnastics coach to quit over athlete backlash

Yahoo – AFP, August 31, 2018

Ex USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar stands to hear his fate as he is
sentenced in February 2018; senior coach Mary Lee Tracy has stepped down
following an outcry over her recent appointment by victims of the jailed
sexual predator (AFP Photo/SCOTT OLSON)

Los Angeles (AFP) - USA Gymnastics coach Mary Lee Tracy said Friday she would resign following an outcry over her appointment by victims of jailed former team doctor Larry Nassar.

Tracy, named as USA Gymnastics elite development coordinator on Tuesday, said she was stepping down after a demand to leave by the organization's chief executive, Kerry Perry.

"In an attempt to move in our journey to more 'transparency' and openness, I need to explain why I have to resign," Tracy wrote on her Facebook page.

"Kerry (Perry) gave me two options, to resign or be removed ..."

Tracy's appointment to the USA Gymnastics post earlier this week had triggered outrage amongst gymnasts abused by Nassar, who was jailed for life earlier this year for his attacks on more than 250 female athletes.

Tracy had drawn ire for comments she made in late 2016 -- when the first allegations of abuse against Nassar had already begun to emerge -- in which she described the doctor as "amazing."

"My Olympians have all worked with Larry,” Tracy said. "He has protected them, taken care of them, worked with me and worked with their parents. He's been amazing."

Aly Raisman, a member of the US 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medal teams who was among Nassar's victims, was among those who lambasted Tracy's appointment this week.

"USA Gymnastics has appointed someone who, in my view, supported Nassar, victim-shamed survivors, & has shown no willingness to learn from the past," Raisman tweeted.

"This is a slap in the face for survivors, & further confirmation that nothing @USAG has changed. What a profound disappointment!"

In her Facebook post on Friday, Tracy appeared to suggest that Perry had demanded her resignation after she attempted to contact Raisman following her comments.

"I tried to contact Aly to apologize and hope we could work together to make our sport better and learn from all of the mistakes of the past," Tracy said.

"I was never informed that I was not permitted to speak to Ali (sic) or any of the survivors!"