USA Gymnastics Coach Refuses To Resign After Larry Nassar Molestation Scandal
Sept. 1 2018, Updated 10:18 p.m. ET
USA Gymnastics coach Mary Lee Tracy has reversed her pledge to resign on Friday in the wake of the Larry Nassar molestation scandal.
Tracy has faced fire from Aly Raisman and other gymnasts for allegedly victim-shaming and supporting Nassar before he was arrested.
Nassar, 55, the former USA Gymnastics national team doctor, was recently sentenced for molesting his patients. He was accused of molesting at least 250 girls and young women dating back to 1992.
First, in July 2017, Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to child porn charges.
Earlier this year, he was also sentenced to 40 to 175 years in a Michigan state prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of sexual assault of minors.
Tracy, who was named as USA Gymnastics' elite development coordinator on Tuesday, said in a statement on her Facebook page that she was quitting following a demand to leave by the organization's chief executive, Kerry Perry.
Tracy wrote, "Kerry (Perry) gave me two options, to resign or be removed...."
But just an hour after her statement, Tracy had a change of heart, saying that she had withdrawn her resignation.
"I have notified USA gymnastics that I am not resigning I was pressured to make a decision and I am seeking counsel! I appreciate all of the support from the community!" Tracy wrote.
Tracy is controversial as in late 2016, she had gushed about Nassar.
"My Olympians have all worked with Larry," Tracy said at that time. "He has protected them, taken care of them, worked with me and worked with their parents. He's been amazing."
But Raisman, who was part of two gold medal winning Olympic teams, and others gradually revealed Nassar's disgusting abuse.
McKayla Maroney and Simone Biles said Nassar molested them, too!
Raisman tweeted this week about Tracy, "USA Gymnastics has appointed someone who, in my view, supported Nassar, victim-shamed survivors, & has shown no willingness to learn from the past.
"This is a slap in the face for survivors, & further confirmation that nothing @USAG has changed. What a profound disappointment!," she wrote.
In her initial Facebook post on Friday, Tracy said Perry had demanded her resignation after "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."
"I was never informed that I was not permitted to speak to Ali (sic) or any of the survivors!"
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Raisman has sued the U.S. Olympic Committee, claiming that Nassar continued treating athletes after women came forward to accuse him of abuse.
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