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Gardner's arrest last summer by the FBI, first reported by The
Associated Press, renewed questions about whether U.S.
gymnastics authorities had done enough to protect athletes from
sexual abuse at the hands of an influential coach.
Gardner pleaded guilty to placing a hidden camera in a bathroom
at a gymnastics studio in Purvis, Mississippi, between December
2017 and April 2018 to record his students. Investigators say he
created videos showing close-up images of at least 10 minors
naked or undressing, which they recovered from his computers
years later while investigating claims that he sexually abused
gymnasts in Iowa.
Several of his former students at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance
Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa, have alleged to police and
in civil lawsuits that he used his position to prey on them. The
institute was founded by prominent coach Liang “Chow” Qiao, who
is known for producing Olympic champions. Gardner coached
several youth prospects and served as director of an annual
winter meet that drew hundreds of gymnasts to Iowa.
Gardner has not been charged in connection with any of the Iowa
allegations, and police have said they would wait to determine
how to proceed after the federal case concludes.
Lawyers for some of the women have also alleged the sport's
oversight bodies, USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Center for
SafeSport, were told about inappropriate behavior by Gardner in
2017 but failed to take action to remove him from the sport for
years. SafeSport temporarily suspended Gardner in 2022 after a
Chow's gymnast alleged sexual abuse, and Chow's fired him then.
SafeSport has said it learned during its investigation that Chow
and other coaches had been aware of allegations of sexual
misconduct against Gardner but failed to report them to the
center as required by its policy. A judge dismissed SafeSport in
May as a party from two lawsuits alleging it did not properly
investigate Gardner, finding it was entitled to immunity under
federal law.
Several lawsuits remain pending against Gardner, USA Gymnastics
and Chow's Gymnastics.
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