Years after sex abuse scandal rocked USA Gymnastics, a young athlete says "it happened again"

Key Points:

• Sean Gardner, a gymnastics coach, faces 12 felony counts of sexual exploitation of children linked to hidden camera recordings in a Mississippi gym, with a change of plea hearing scheduled in federal court.
• Allegations include Gardner secretly filming girls aged 6 to 14 in a bathroom at a Purvis, Mississippi facility during 2017-2018, with investigators seizing around 50 videos and 400 photos as evidence.
• Despite early warnings to USA Gymnastics about Gardner's inappropriate behavior in 2018, he moved to Chow's Gymnastics & Dance in Iowa, where he allegedly abused at least five gymnasts, leading to multiple lawsuits.
• The case highlights potential failures in USA Gymnastics' protective measures post-Larry Nassar scandal, with critics saying prior reports of Gardner's misconduct were ignored or inadequately investigated.
• Victims like Liberty Raines and Finley Weldon describe traumatic experiences, and although Gardner was suspended by SafeSport in 2022 and arrested in 2025, the abuse has had lasting impacts on the gymnasts' lives and careers.