Two competitive gymnasts in Iowa have filed civil lawsuits alleging that USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Center for SafeSport failed to act on multiple warnings about former coach Sean Gardner, allowing him continued access to children despite recorded complaints of grooming and abusive behavior dating back to 2017.
The lawsuits claim that USA Gymnastics and SafeSport were notified as early as December 2017 of “inappropriate and abusive behaviors,” including reports that Gardner insisted on prolonged physical contact with young girls, engaged in grooming, and exhibited other boundary-violating conduct. According to the filings, neither organization took sufficient action to investigate, revoke credentials, or involve law enforcement. Gardner later obtained a coaching position at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, Iowa in 2018, where plaintiffs allege they and other minors were repeatedly abused.
Attorney John Manly, who helped represent survivors in the Larry Nassar litigation and is part of the legal team handling the Iowa cases, said the allegations reflect systemic failures embedded in the organization. “It illustrates in my view that the culture of money and medals over child safety is still alive and well in USA Gymnastics and the Olympic system,” he said. “What he did was profoundly evil and they let him do it.”
SafeSport noted that Gardner was temporarily suspended in 2022 “upon receiving the first report of sexual misconduct” and said that its database publicly listed his restriction, later escalating his status to “ineligible” following his September 12 arrest. USA Gymnastics declined further comment, acknowledging only “the seriousness of this case.”
The lawsuits further allege that prominent Olympic coach Liang “Chow” Qiao — founder of Chow’s Gymnastics and longtime coach of athletes including Shawn Johnson and Gabby Douglas — failed to take sufficient action in response to reports about Gardner while continuing to employ him. Additional defendants include Qiao’s wife, Liwen Zhuan, their affiliated business entities, and the corporations controlling the property on which the gym operates.
Federal investigators arrested Gardner in August on child pornography charges after finding recordings allegedly captured by a hidden camera he placed inside a bathroom at a Mississippi gym between December 2017 and April 2018. He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial next month.
The plaintiffs — Iowa State gymnast Finley Weldon and University of Iowa student Hailey Gear — were 11 and 12 when they began training under Gardner. They allege they endured “physical, emotional, and sexual abuse” from 2018 until leaving the gym years later, and are seeking damages for injuries and medical treatment. Attorneys representing the plaintiffs say additional lawsuits from former gymnasts may follow.
The filings assert that repeated complaints — including parental reports of stalking, excessive hugging, kissing, alcohol use in front of minors, sexual jokes, coercive behavior, and inappropriate social media interactions — were known to the defendants but insufficiently escalated, enabling Gardner’s ongoing access to young athletes.
The gym later said Gardner passed a standard background check and was terminated only after his SafeSport suspension, before any final misconduct determination had been issued.
Manly, Stewart & Finaldi is the nation’s leading firm representing victims of sexual abuse by government agencies, physicians, Universities, school districts, churches, and sports organizations. They are the lead attorneys representing victims of former Olympic Team doctor Larry Nassar and secured $880 million in settlements. They were the lead attorneys representing victims of former USC gynecologist George Tyndall, resulting in a historic $852 million settlement. They represented victims in the $660 million settlement with the Los Angeles Archdiocese in 2007 and more than $700 million in settlements against Catholic entities throughout the United States. They were the lead attorneys in a $140 million settlement with the LA Unified School District in the Miramonte cases. The firm has successfully recovered more than 3 billion dollars for its clients through jury verdicts and settlements.
