United States

Valeri Liukin Quits as Coordinator of U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team

The coordinator of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team stepped down Friday, the latest in the fallout from revelations of sexual abuse of gymnasts by their former longtime team doctor Larry Nassar.

Valeri Liukin, former Soviet Olympic champion and father of 2008 U.S. gold medalist Nastia Liukin, cited stress from “the present climate” as reason for his stepping down, NBC News reported.

"I was truly looking forward to trying to turn this program around and bring success to our country and the gymnastics community. But the present climate causes me, and more importantly my family, far too much stress, difficulty and uncertainty," he said in a statement.

USA Gymnastics did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Liukin's resignation, which was first reported by USA Today.

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