The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced on Wednesday that its chief executive Scott Blackmun would be stepping down as the organization contends with the fallout from the sexual assault case involving former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
The USOC said Blackmun was resigning due to his ongoing battle with prostate cancer.
{mosads}“Given Scott’s current health situation, we have mutually agreed it is in the best interest of both Scott and the USOC that we identify new leadership so that we can immediately address the urgent initiatives ahead of us,” USOC Chairman Larry Probst said, according to The Washington Post.
“The important work that Scott started needs to continue and will require especially vigorous attention in light of Larry Nassar’s decades-long abuse of athletes affiliated with USA Gymnastics.”
Blackmun has headed the committee since 2010 and previously had worked as its general counsel.
He faced backlash after reports surfaced that the USOC knew of complaints against Nassar but did not act on them.
A total of 156 of Nassar’s accusers testified prior to his sentencing that the doctor abused them when they sought treatment for sports injuries.
Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) called for Blackmun to step down earlier this month.
“Reports detailing USOC leadership’s knowledge of abuse allegations against Nassar, which included Scott Blackmun, are deeply disturbing. If these reports are true, this goes far beyond negligence and raises serious questions of culpability at USOC, in which the most appropriate action would be for Scott Blackmun to resign,” the senators said in a statement.
USOC board member Susanne Lyons will serve as interim CEO of the committee.