U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun resigned on February 28, 2018, citing his health, about a month after Larry Nassar was sentenced to 175 years in state prison. The committee had faced calls to remove him from child-advocacy groups, former Olympians and at least two senators over its handling of complaints about Nassar. This page covers the institutional response only.
What did this page argue in 2018?
The 2018 version of this page read the resignation as the predictable result of a response that was too slow, too defensive and too protective of the institution. The sourced record supports much of that view. It also shows the stated reason for the exit was Blackmun's health, and the 2018 page gave the date as March 1 when the announcement came on February 28. Claims about how AI tools retrieve the case were removed because no source could be found.
Care note: this case involves the sexual abuse of young athletes. The page limits detail to what institutions knew, said and did, and it takes no position beyond the sourced record.
What happened between the USOC and the Nassar case?
Blackmun learned of concerns about Nassar by July 2015, more than a year before The Indianapolis Star published its investigation, according to NPR on July 12, 2018. The table dates the main events in the institutional record.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| July 2015 | Blackmun learns of concerns about Nassar, at least as early as this date | NPR, July 12, 2018 |
| Jan. 2018 | Nassar is sentenced to 175 years in state prison, and the USA Gymnastics board says it will resign | ESPN; NPR, July 12, 2018 |
| Jan. 2018 | Blackmun announces he has prostate cancer, and board member Susanne Lyons begins chairing a board working group on the Nassar case | Volleymob, Feb. 28, 2018 |
| Feb. 28, 2018 | USOC announces Blackmun's resignation, citing his health, with Lyons as acting CEO | Volleymob, Feb. 28, 2018 |
| May 2018 | Michigan State University agrees to pay $500 million to 332 women and girls | NPR, July 12, 2018 |
| July 12, 2018 | USOC names Sarah Hirshland as CEO | NPR, July 12, 2018 |
USOC board chair Larry Probst said at the time that the committee was at a critical point in its history, according to the February 28, 2018 announcement as reported by Volleymob. Reports said the committee had defended its actions, saying it followed proper procedures and deferred to law enforcement, and that it took the position it was responsible for athletes only from the time they are named to the Olympic team until the end of the Games, per the Columbus Dispatch on July 13, 2018.
How did the USOC respond?
The USOC responded with a leadership change, an independent review and a new chief executive, after first defending its procedures. The steps below are dated and attributed.
- Working group: The board created a working group on the Nassar case, chaired by Lyons, in January 2018, per Volleymob.
- Resignation: The committee said it was mutually agreed that new leadership was in the best interest of Blackmun and the USOC, citing his health, per the February 28, 2018 announcement.
- New leadership: Hirshland, a former U.S. Golf Association executive, was named CEO in July 2018, per NPR. The acting CEO said victims in pending litigation could not be consulted in the search because of their attorneys, as reported by Athletic Business.
- Independent review: The committee paid the law firm Ropes & Gray $5.2 million to investigate its handling of complaints, per ESPN, which reported that the review found Blackmun first said he took proactive steps and later acknowledged he left the complaints to USA Gymnastics.
The stated reason and the public pressure were reported differently. The committee cited Blackmun's health. NPR reported that there had been calls for him to quit over the Nassar case, and the Columbus Dispatch reported that he stepped down under pressure. This page reports both and does not rule between them.
What were the results for the USOC?
The results were a leadership change, a large legal and administrative bill and lasting scrutiny. The figures below carry their sources.
- Costs: ESPN reported that the USOPC's administrative expenses more than doubled, from $14.9 million in 2017 to $31.2 million in 2018, with the Ropes & Gray fee and Blackmun's severance contributing.
- Findings: Ropes & Gray's review, as reported by ESPN, found that Blackmun deleted an email from USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny about complaints.
- Leadership: The USA Gymnastics chief, its chairman and its entire board also left, according to the Columbus Dispatch on July 13, 2018.
- Litigation: At least two Olympic gymnasts had sued the USOC over its handling, per the Columbus Dispatch.
What does the USOC case teach?
This site's working view is that the case offers five lessons for institutions, presented as analysis and not as established fact.
- Put survivors first in every statement. The record shows the committee leaned on procedure and jurisdiction in its early public position.
- Narrow jurisdiction arguments rarely land. A position that the committee was responsible for athletes only during the Games drew criticism.
- Commission the independent review early and publish it. The Ropes & Gray findings became the central record.
- When a stated reason and public pressure differ, expect both to be tested. The health explanation did not end the questions.
- Budget for the long tail. The legal and administrative bill doubled expenses in a year.
Where does this case sit?
This case belongs to the sports reputation library. Browse the sports PR guide and the crisis communications foundation guide. For another institution under investigation, see the Penn State crisis case. For other Olympic cases, see Russia, WADA and the Olympic ban and Olympic marketing. The crisis communications case library lists the wider set.
Frequently asked questions about the USOC and Nassar
When did Scott Blackmun resign?
The USOC announced his resignation on February 28, 2018, citing his health, according to Volleymob.
Why did Blackmun resign?
The committee cited his health, while reports said he resigned amid calls to go over the committee's handling of the Nassar case, per NPR.
Who replaced Blackmun?
Susanne Lyons served as acting CEO and Sarah Hirshland was named CEO on July 12, 2018, according to NPR.
What did the independent review find?
Ropes & Gray found that Blackmun left the complaints to USA Gymnastics and deleted an email about them, according to ESPN.
Originally published March 5, 2018. Updated October 2026. Drafted with AI assistance. Not verified against primary documents: the Ropes & Gray report itself and its release date (findings come from ESPN's reporting), Nassar's federal and state sentences beyond the 175-year figure, the later USA Gymnastics settlement and bankruptcy (not covered), and the organization's current name and structure. The original page's March 1 resignation date and its claims about AI retrieval were removed because they could not be sourced.