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Photo credit: Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas, former student of Liang Chow, founder of Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute; via Wikipedia.
The gymnastics community is again facing painful reminders of its failures to protect athletes. PBS Newshour reported yesterday that federal authorities last week arrested former coach Sean Gardner, who previously worked at the renowned Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in Iowa, on a federal child pornography charge.
Court records show Gardner, 38, had been accused years earlier of sexually abusing young gymnasts and secretly recording minors at a prior job in Mississippi.
Gardner joined Chow’s in 2018 and quickly rose in responsibility, coaching top junior athletes and leading major competitions. By 2022, however, SafeSport, which the U.S. Center created in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal, suspended Gardner after multiple reports of sexual misconduct were filed. Allegations included inappropriate touching during training, sexual comments to athletes, and physical mistreatment.
Even while suspended from gymnastics, Gardner was able to secure a job in healthcare, working with surgical patients at a local hospital in 2024. It was not until police executed a search warrant at his home in May 2025 that investigators uncovered images and videos of minors, allegedly filmed in gym bathrooms and changing areas.
Court records indicate multiple victims came forward over several years, but criminal investigations stalled at points due to the reluctance of some survivors to pursue charges. Critics say this reflects broader flaws in the SafeSport system, which can suspend individuals in sports but does not prevent them from working elsewhere with vulnerable populations.
One survivor told police she initially viewed Gardner as a mentor during a difficult family time, only to later experience repeated inappropriate touching and suspected secret filming. Her mother told authorities she believed the gym knew about complaints but failed to act. Chow’s Gymnastics has not commented publicly on the allegations.
The FBI affidavit states that investigators recovered hundreds of illicit images and videos, including content believed to have been recorded at Gardner’s former Mississippi gym. He now faces a charge of producing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Gardner is currently detained at the Polk County Jail in Iowa and is expected to be transferred to Mississippi to face the federal case.
SafeSport has defended its use of temporary suspensions, but critics argue the process is opaque and slow-moving, leaving families uncertain and accused coaches sometimes free to find other roles outside sports. USA Gymnastics has acknowledged the difficulty of handling these cases but has also faced heavy criticism for what survivors say is still a lack of transparency and accountability.
If you are a survivor of sexual abuse in sports or another institution, you deserve to understand your legal options. Many survivors say the real value goes beyond financial recovery. It is about being heard, validated, and empowered to reclaim your life. To learn more about your legal rights against institutions, visit our lawsuit guide.
