AP Investigation: SafeSport Failed To Finalize Lifetime Ban In Coach Abuse Case

An Associated Press investigation found that the U.S. Center for SafeSport delayed final disciplinary action in a high-risk abuse case involving coach Sean Gardner — despite warnings from parents in 2017 and Gardner’s reported willingness to accept a lifetime coaching ban months before his arrest.

What The AP Found

Sources familiar with the matter told the AP that months before Gardner’s August arrest on federal child pornography charges tied to allegations he installed cameras in a girls’ bathroom at a gym in Purvis, Mississippi, he indicated he would accept a lifetime ban that would close the SafeSport investigation. The three people who shared that information spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they feared retaliation.

Chronology matters: parents and gymnasts first raised concerns about Gardner in December 2017, but SafeSport did not place him on a temporary suspension until July 2022. According to those familiar with the case, SafeSport could have finalized a permanent ban as early as early 2025 if it had closed the matter — a move that would have changed his public status in the center’s disciplinary database and removed the possibility of arbitration or future re-litigating of the case.

Why A Permanent Ban Matters

Critics and victims’ advocates say a permanent ban is materially different from a temporary suspension: it sends a clear, final message to parents, sports organizations and employers that an individual is ineligible to work with athletes. Attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel, who represented gymnasts in the Larry Nassar litigation, told the AP a permanent sanction represents a “final determination” and helps prevent further access to children.

SafeSport’s response: Spokesperson Hilary Nemchik said the agency "took swift action to protect athletes from harm upon receiving the first allegations of sexual misconduct" and emphasized that restrictions during a temporary suspension and a permanent ban are the same in practice. Nemchik also noted staff must ensure respondents receive a fair process even when a respondent agrees to a significant sanction.

Additional Details

Despite being under a temporary suspension in 2022, Gardner was employed in May 2024 as a surgical technologist at MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center. After his August arrest, SafeSport updated his disciplinary entry from "temporary suspension" to "ineligible" citing a criminal disposition involving a minor and sexual misconduct; a criminal conviction would change the status to permanently ineligible, those familiar with the case said.

Two gymnasts have filed civil lawsuits naming SafeSport, USA Gymnastics and staff at the Iowa gym where Gardner worked, alleging the organizations failed to protect athletes. The lawsuits and AP reporting show multiple missed opportunities over years when action could have prevented further access to children.

Broader Implications

Advocates and legal experts say the case echoes failings exposed by the Larry Nassar scandal that prompted the creation of SafeSport. The AP’s reporting raises questions about how quickly and decisively the agency can act in cases involving alleged sexual abuse of minors and whether procedural safeguards are delaying final protections for athletes.

Gardner has pleaded not guilty to the federal child pornography charges and remains jailed pending trial, which is scheduled to begin March 2. The AP investigation took months to assemble testimony and records that illuminate both the allegations and the watchdog’s response.

Associated Press reporter Ryan J. Foley in Iowa City contributed to this report.