Ex-USOC CEO gets $2.4 million

Scott Blackmun, the former chief executive of the U.S. Olympic Committee who resigned under pressure in February and was heavily criticized for failing to protect gymnasts from being sexually abused by their national team doctor, received $2.4 million in severance pay.

Blackmun knew about accusations against the doctor, Larry Nassar, for more than a year before they became public in September 2016, but did not investigate, report or try to stop Nassar’s behavior, in effect helping to cover it up, according to a scathing report made public in December that was commissioned by the Olympic committee.

The committee defended the severance pay in a statement from Susanne Lyons, chairman of the board of directors.

Based “on the requirement for new leadership to guide the organization forward, as well as Blackmun’s serious health challenges, the board approved a separation agreement, as provided for in his contract,” Lyons said in the statement.

Blackmun was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January 2018, a month before he resigned.

The severance pay was called “vile” and “despicable” by John C. Manly ,an attorney who represents nearly 200 accusers of Nassar, who is expected to spend his life in prison after being convicted of criminal sexual conduct.

“I represent dozens of little girls who were molested after that time,” Manly said. “What kind of an organization gives somebody a multimillion dollar bonus for protecting a child molester?”