Coach's suspicious behavior at gym reported for potential grooming to authorities decades prior to sex abuse charges
In the world of gymnastics, a shocking revelation has emerged concerning Sean Gardner, a former coach at Chow's Gymnastics. Gardner, who was once the director of the Chow's Winter Classic, a prestigious meet that attracts hundreds of gymnasts to Iowa annually, has been banned from the sport following allegations of sexual abuse.
The allegations against Gardner are grave. Among the evidence presented are claims that he installed a hidden camera in the bathroom of a Mississippi gym to record girls as young as 6 undressing. These allegations, if proven true, are a clear violation of the trust and safety that should be upheld in any sport, especially one involving young athletes.
Concerns about Gardner's behaviour were first reported to USA Gymnastics by his former boss in 2018, with additional reports coming from parents and gymnasts at Chow's Gymnastics in 2019. One of the most disturbing accounts involves a parent who witnessed Gardner touching another girl's buttocks during practice. This behaviour, coupled with the mass exodus of Gardner's students from the gym, raised serious red flags.
Despite these concerns, Gardner was promoted to head coach of a key girls' team at Chow's Gymnastics in January 2020. His continued employment at the gym was questionable, especially after his arrest for second-offense drunken driving in August 2021. However, it was not until Chow's Gymnastics was notified in April 2022 that Gardner was to be barred from one-on-one or unsupervised contact with athletes that he was removed from his position and ultimately fired in July 2022.
USA Gymnastics received a sexual abuse complaint against Gardner in 2022, leading to a temporary ban. The U.S. Center for SafeSport, established in response to the inability of USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee to address predators like Gardner, forwarded the information to Iowa police, resulting in Gardner's arrest in August 2022.
In light of these events, it is clear that more needs to be done to ensure the safety and well-being of athletes. Attorney for survivors of Nassar's abuse, Bonanni, has expressed concern over the slow response in the Gardner case and expects more victims to come forward.
It is essential that all organisations involved in sports, especially those working with young athletes, take the necessary steps to protect their athletes from harm. The case of Sean Gardner serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and swift action in addressing allegations of abuse.
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