Olympics watchdog failed to close abuse case against gymnastics coach: report

Dec 31, 2025 - 11:00
Olympics watchdog failed to close abuse case against gymnastics coach: report
Carly Patterson vaults in the air during the U.S. Gymnastics Championships on June 5, 2004 at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

A new investigation has found that months before Sean Gardner's arrest on allegations of installing cameras in a girls’ gym bathroom, the American was willing to accept a lifetime ban from coaching gymnastics as part of a deal where he would admit to the abuse, according to three people involved with U.S. SafeSport and its handling of the case.