Kerry Perry is out as USA Gymnastics president and CEO after nine months, informing the board of directors of her resignation Monday night.
The move, first reported by the Orange County (Calif.) Register late Monday night, came three days after new U.S. Olympic Committee boss Sarah Hirshland called for leadership change after more problems within the organization following the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal.
“As we close the day, I’m afraid I can offer nothing but disappointment,” Hirshland said in a Friday statement. “Under the circumstances, we feel that the organization is struggling to manage its obligations effectively and it is time to consider making adjustments in the leadership.”
She said the USOC would reach out to the USAG board over the weekend to discuss changes. Perry took over for Steve Penny as president of USA Gymnastics in November 2017.
“USA Gymnastics has been in the midst of a difficult and painful transition to ensure that the safety and interests of our athletes remain at the heart of our mission,” USA Gymnastics Board of Directors chair Karen Golz said in a statement. “While much as been accomplished over the past several months to stabilize the organization, we still face tremendous challenges as we all work to achieve fundamental changes to move our sport forward.”
Golz said a search is on for an interim CEO, and a formation began of a search committee to find a permanent CEO, chaired by board member and 1988 Olympic champion swimmer Brent Lang.
Perry has made very few public statements in nine months, and has had trouble gathering support in the gymnastics community, since taking over as part of a USOC-directed turnover of the federation’s board and senior management.
Two weekends ago at the national championships, Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, a Nassar abuse victim herself, withheld judgment on the path USA Gymnastics has taken, saying “nobody can know until Kerry Perry speaks up. It’s kind of hard.”
Perry did speak up later that weekend, saying all but a few of the 70 recommendations suggested by an independent review of the federation’s actions had been implemented.
Much of that progress has been overshadowed by a steady stream of new allegations against Nassar and missteps by USA Gymnastics.
On Friday, USA Gymnastics awkwardly fired the coach it had hired only three days earlier as its elite program coordinator.
That led to Hirshland’s comments as the USOC itself is under the microscope for its own handling of sex-abuse allegations.
She took over for Scott Blackmun, who resigned as CEO in February due to health problems, while calls for his ouster were increasing for what critics said was the USOC’s own slow reaction and unwillingness to take responsibility for abuse in Olympic sports.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!
MORE: Biles stands with fellow survivors with leotard choice
