Female college athletes are making millions thanks to their large social media followings. But some who have fought for equity in women’s sports worry that their brand building is regressive.
Tag Archives: Gymnastics
Title IX 50th Anniversary: We Need a New Deal for Women’s Sports
We must dismantle the grandfathered-in systemic advantages that male athletes and male-dominated sports infrastructures continue to enjoy.
Nassar Victims Suing F.B.I. for Early Investigative Failures
The plaintiffs say Lawrence Nassar abused them after the bureau failed to act. The suits come after the Justice Department declined to prosecute the agents accused of bungling the inquiry.
A Gymnast’s Death Was Supposed to Be a Wake-Up Call. What Took So Long?
Christy Henrich’s struggle with eating disorders launched a reckoning in sports, but progress has been slow.
The Sports World’s Most Memorable and Human Moments of 2021
Most of them happened off the courts and playing fields, when the competitions were over and the athletes were at their most human.
Nassar Abuse Survivors Reach a $380 Million Settlement
The agreement reached with U.S.A. Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee will compensate more than 500 girls and women abused in the sport.
Sports in 2021 Tried to Return to Normal
The coronavirus pandemic still had an impact, but players and leagues had their moments.
Justice Dept. to Weigh Prosecuting F.B.I. Agents in Nassar Case
The department said it was reviewing its initial decision to not seek charges against agents who failed to pursue sexual abuse allegations against Lawrence G. Nassar.
It Is Not Just Gymnasts. We Are Failing Sexual Assault Victims Across the Country.
The Nasser case highlights a nationwide problem.
Biles, Raisman, Maroney and Nichols Testify in Nassar Hearing
Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Maggie Nichols are testifying at a Senate Judiciary Committee review of the Lawrence G. Nassar sexual abuse investigation.
A Lifeline to Let College Teams Play On
The University of Alaska Anchorage set specific goals for targeted teams to survive. Millions of dollars poured in, suggesting a template for schools hoping to keep programs afloat.
Simone Biles’s Big Olympic Move: Embracing Vulnerability
Biles was widely embraced as the latest elite athlete who had the courage to acknowledge her vulnerability.
When Simone Biles Stepped Back, Sunisa Lee Stepped Up
Known primarily as an uneven bars specialist, Lee turned in a grace-under-pressure performance for the ages during Tuesday’s team final.
Simone Biles’s Olympic Cast Members Emerge From U.S. Trials
Biles and Sunisa Lee were the top two finishers in the all-around, and Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum will join them on the squad for the team event. Jade Carey and MyKayla Skinner qualified as individual competitors.
Olympic Gymnastics Trials: What to Watch
Day 2 of the event on Sunday night in St. Louis will determine which American gymnasts will be among Simone Biles’s supporting cast at the Tokyo Games.
Sam Mikulak Qualifies for His Third Olympic Games
The Olympic team has a mix of personalities and experience.
Olympic Gymnastics Trials: Time, Schedule, Contenders and More
Yes, Simone Biles is a lock to be one of the six American women heading to Tokyo next month, but there is also quite a bit of suspense at the trials in St. Louis.
Simone Biles’s Brother Is Acquitted of Murder
Tevin Biles-Thomas was charged in the fatal shooting of three people at a New Year’s Eve party in 2018. This week, a judge said prosecutors had not presented enough evidence to convict him.
After the Nassar Scandal, Gymnastics Coaches Try a New Tone
Changes in the sport, which is still struggling to recover from a sexual abuse scandal, were evident at a championship event in Texas.
Simone Biles Wins Record 7th U.S. Gymnastics Title
Biles cruised to a record seventh U.S. title on Sunday. The team that will join her in Tokyo is starting to take shape, too.
Simone Biles Dials Up the Difficulty. ‘Because I Can.’
The Olympic gold medalist’s new vault is so dangerous that gymnastics, for now, limits the scoring rewards for trying it. Biles says that’s unfair.
Former Olympic Coach Says USA Gymnastics Mishandled His Case
Kevin Mazeika has been accused of not reporting an injury at his Texas gym. He says the federation has damaged his reputation by adding him to a list of coaches facing misconduct allegations without explaining why.
Gymnastics Is a Brutal Sport. Does It Have to Be?
In the wake of a seismic scandal, Chellsie Memmel and other gymnasts are done with inhumane coaching — and the idea that they have to peak in their teens.
Tokyo Olympics: Schedule, Sports and Details
The opening ceremony will be held July 23, with gymnastics, swimming and other sports beginning soon after.
Simone Biles Leaves Nike for a Sponsor That Focuses on Women
As part of the deal, Athleta, the new sponsor, has agreed to back a post-Olympic exhibition tour that Biles was already planning.
John Geddert Charges: What Is Human Trafficking?
Experts say the filing of human trafficking charges against John Geddert, who died on Thursday, could have major ramifications for future prosecutions of coaches in the high-pressure world of elite sports.
Geddert and Nassar Abused Gymnasts for Decades
Coach John Geddert drove young gymnasts to the point of injury, then sent them to Lawrence G. Nassar, the doctor who abused them sexually. Geddert killed himself on Thursday in the face of criminal charges.
Former U.S. Gymnastics Coach Is Dead After Human Trafficking Charges
John Geddert died by suicide shortly after he was charged with two dozen counts, including human trafficking and criminal sexual conduct, Michigan prosecutors said.
Dianne Durham, Barrier-Breaking Gymnast, Dies at 52
Though an injury derailed her career, she proved that Black women could reach the pinnacle of the sport, winning the 1983 national championship.
She’s the Dancing Force Behind Nia Dennis’s Viral Gymnastics Routines
Bijoya Das, a former gymnast with a deep relationship to dance, is training U.C.L.A. team members to let their personality light up the mat.
A Gymnastics Coach Accused of Emotional Abuse Speaks Out: ‘I Cared Too Much’
In her first public remarks since being suspended from the sport for eight years, Maggie Haney disputed accusations that led to her punishment but said she could now see flaws in the way she treated some young athletes.
A Gymnastics Coach, a Misconduct Complaint and a Hall of Fame Berth
The sport’s leaders say they want to end a bullying approach to coaching that has become a part of its culture, but athletes see reasons to doubt that commitment.
What These Athletes Learned From Their Pandemic Pauses
The coronavirus disrupted lives around the world and sent the gymnast Sunisa Lee, the swimmer Rudy Garcia-Tolson, the Seattle Storm’s Breanna Stewart and the Seattle Mariners’ Kyle Lewis on unexpected journeys.
After a Covid Scare, an Olympic Hopeful Recovers Her Optimism
Sunisa Lee was afraid she was infected with the coronavirus. She emerged from isolation with renewed resilience and a brand-new outlook on training.
Gymnasts Worldwide Push Back on Their Sport’s Culture of Abuse
On Instagram and other social networks, gymnasts have tagged posts with #GymnastAlliance to share their own experiences in the wake of a new documentary that highlights verbal and physical abuse by coaches.
Terry Gray, Ex-U.S.A. Gymnastics Coach, Faces Charges of Lewdness With a Minor
Terry Gray, who had been a coach for the U.S.A. Gymnastics women’s national team, was arrested on Friday, the police said.
Her Olympic Dream on Hold, Teen Gymnast Faces Other Trials
Sunisa Lee had been ecstatic to return to her gym at the start of June. Then came tumult in Minnesota and the death of two close relatives. “I just want this year to be over. I’m so ready for 2021.”
Kurt Thomas, Trailblazing Champion Gymnast, Dies at 64
The first American to win a world championship in men’s gymnastics, he captured many medals but missed out on his best chance to take Olympic gold.
She Accused a Coach of Abuse. Then More Than 30 Gymnasts Backed Her Up.
A gymnastics coach in New York City was suspended after Sara Allan, who trained at a gym there, wrote about her experience on Facebook. She received an outpouring of similar complaints from other gymnasts.
The Gymnast Who Hasn’t Turned Off Her Olympic Countdown
Sunisa Lee, 17, had stellar showings at the national and world championships, and her sights on making the U.S. women’s Olympic team. Those plans are now up in the air.
Gymnasts Push for Lasting Change After a Coach Is Suspended for Abuse
When Maggie Haney, the prominent coach of an Olympian, was barred for eight years after being accused of emotional abuse, gymnasts saw an opening to press for other cases to go forward and to demand broader change.
Charges Against Former Michigan State President Are Dismissed
A judge said prosecutors had failed to prove that Lou Anna K. Simon knew of sexual abuse committed by Dr. Lawrence G. Nassar when he was employed by the university.
Gymnast Laurie Hernandez Recalls Emotional Abuse Under Coach Haney
Laurie Hernandez won medals at the 2016 Games. But she said her love of the sport was tainted under training with Maggie Haney, who is now suspended by the sport’s American federation.
Maggie Haney, Elite Gymnastics Coach, Is Suspended for 8 Years
Haney was accused of verbal abuse and mistreatment of athletes, which included forcing them to train through injuries.
‘It’s Just So Devastating’: For Crestfallen Gymnasts, an Olympic Dream Deferred
Female gymnasts often compete at younger ages than their Olympic peers and have a far more concentrated opportunity at the top. Into that intense world dropped the coronavirus pandemic.
If Life Has You Down, Do a Handstand
A handstand is all about reconnecting with the ground and trusting it in a new way, a white flag of surrender planted in the soil, hands first.