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Two former gymnasts have filed lawsuits alleging that USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Center for SafeSport failed to stop a coach from abusing girls at an elite Iowa academy, even after multiple warnings about his behavior, the Associated Press reported, via KGET.com.
The lawsuits claim both organizations were notified as early as December 2017 that coach Sean Gardner was described as kissing and hugging girls, exhibiting grooming behaviors, and engaging in other inappropriate conduct while coaching in Mississippi.
According to the filings, neither USA Gymnastics nor SafeSport conducted an adequate investigation, revoked Gardner’s credentials, notified law enforcement, or took effective steps to protect young athletes. As a result, the lawsuits say Gardner was able to secure a coaching position at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines in 2018, where the plaintiffs allege further abuse occurred despite additional complaints.
The gym, founded by Liang Qiao, a well known Olympic coach, is also named as a defendant.
First Civil Suits Following Gardner’s Arrest
The cases were filed in Polk County, Iowa, marking the first civil lawsuits since Gardner’s arrest in August. They follow an Associated Press investigation that revealed gaps in oversight by Olympic sports authorities. The lawsuits argue that repeated opportunities to intervene were missed by both USA Gymnastics and SafeSport, the agency Congress created after the Larry Nassar scandal to oversee safeguarding in Olympic sports.
“It illustrates in my view that the culture of money and medals over child safety is still alive and well in USA Gymnastics and the Olympic system,” said a plaintiff’s attorney. “What he did was profoundly evil and they let him do it.”
SafeSport stated it had not yet been served with the lawsuit. The agency noted that its 2022 temporary suspension of Gardner occurred “upon receiving the first report of sexual misconduct.” It emphasized that this action, posted publicly in its disciplinary database, was “the only reason Gardner was barred from coaching young athletes in the years until his arrest.” Gardner’s status was later updated to “ineligible” in September following the federal charges.
USA Gymnastics acknowledged “the seriousness of this case” but declined further comment.
Federal Criminal Charges Against Gardner
Gardner is facing federal child pornography charges for allegedly hiding a camera inside a Purvis, Mississippi, gymnastics studio bathroom between December 2017 and April 2018. Investigators say he recorded minors undressing and discovered multiple videos on Gardner’s computers while investigating reports of sexual abuse. Gardner has pleaded not guilty and remains jailed awaiting trial.
The Plaintiffs and Their Allegations
The plaintiffs, now college students, say they were 11 and 12 when they began training under Gardner at Chow’s. They allege they endured years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse before leaving the gym. The plaintiffs include Iowa State gymnast Finley Weldon, who previously reported abuse allegations to police and later shared her story publicly, and University of Iowa student Hailey Gear, who, according to her attorney, also intends to go public.
They seek damages related to the abuse and the cost of treatment. More lawsuits are expected, as other former gymnasts have also reported allegations.
Warnings About Gardner’s Conduct Spanned Years
The lawsuits detail numerous warnings to both USA Gymnastics and SafeSport. According to the filings, a parent reported to both organizations in December 2017 that Gardner required long hugs after training sessions, kicked out a girl who refused to hug him, verbally abused a child during a closed-door meeting, kissed gymnasts on their foreheads, made sexual jokes, drank excessively around minors, and commented inappropriately on social media. Gardner was also accused of stalking a girl he had been told to stop contacting.
In January 2018, Gardner’s supervisor reported additional “grooming behaviors” to USA Gymnastics, but Gardner continued coaching.
The lawsuits say SafeSport later received a report from a parent at Chow’s in September 2020 describing further improper conduct, yet no investigation followed.
Claims of Failed Oversight at Chow’s Gymnastics
The lawsuits further allege that Qiao and his wife, coach Liwen Zhuan, did not conduct a sufficient background check before hiring Gardner and continued to employ him even after receiving complaints that he inappropriately touched gymnasts while spotting them.
The gym has previously stated that Gardner passed a standard background check and that he was terminated only after SafeSport suspended him in July 2022, at which time there had been no official finding of misconduct.
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