USA Gymnastics asked its new elite women’s development coordinator, Mary Lee Tracy, to resign after she tried to contact Aly Raisman to apologize after Raisman tweeted that Tracy had supported Larry Nassar and victim-shamed Nassar survivors.
“As a representative of the organization, [Tracy] inappropriately contacted a survivor, who is also a represented plaintiff, in response to that survivor’s public criticism of her,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement Friday. “USA Gymnastics decided it would be best to move forward without Ms. Tracy in this role.”
Earlier Friday, a post on Tracy’s Facebook account said that USA Gymnastics CEO Kerry Perry gave her options of resigning or being forced out because she tried to contact Raisman to apologize.
“I need to explain why I have to resign,” the post read. “Kerry P gave me two options, to resign or be removed because I tried to contact Aly to apologize and hope we could work together to make our sport better and learn from all of the mistakes of the past. I was never informed that I was not permitted to speak to Ali or any of the survivors!”
An hour later, a Tracy Facebook account post said she was not resigning.
“I was pressured to make a decision and I am seeking counsel!” the post read. “I appreciate all of the support from the community!”
Tracy, the president and head coach of Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, was announced as the USA Gymnastics elite development coordinator on Tuesday.
Raisman’s account retweeted the USA Gymnastics announcement, adding a comment.
“USA Gymnastics has appointed someone who, in my view, supported Nassar, victim-shamed survivors, & has shown no willingness to learn from the past,” Raisman tweeted. “This is a slap in the face for survivors, & further confirmation that nothing at @USAG has changed. What a profound disappointment!”
Raisman then retweeted part of a Cincinnati ABC affiliate’s article quoting Tracy from December 2016:
Tracy was more adamant that she doesn’t believe Nassar could be guilty of the charges brought against him, including molestation during medical examinations.
“My Olympians have all worked with Larry,” Tracy said. “We were all defending him because he has helped so many kids in their careers. He has protected them, taken care of them, worked with me and worked with their parents. He’s been amazing.”
Police in Michigan said nearly 50 gymnasts and patients have filed sexual abuse accusations against the doctor.
On Thursday, Tracy told the TV station she would resign if “cyber bullying” didn’t stop and said that Nassar was “beyond evil.”
“I wouldn’t say that I supported him,” Tracy said Thursday, “but I told my truth [in 2016], and my truth was that he supported my athletes.”
“What I feel I need to say is that when I saw Aly putting out some things about something I said two years ago as this was all coming out, that was my truth,” Tracy said, according to the TV station. “Would I say that anymore? Absolutely not … The man is a monster. But at that moment, I looked at him like I would my dad or my brother. That was the level of trust I had.”
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