Gymnastics board will step down

USA Gymnastics has confirmed that its entire board of directors will resign as requested by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The move came Friday in the fallout from the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal. The former USA Gymnastics sports doctor has pleaded guilty to molesting girls and young women. Some of the nation's top gymnasts, including Olympians Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Simone Biles and Jordyn Wieber, said they were among his victims.

The USOC had threatened to decertify the gymnastics organization, which besides picking U.S. national teams is the umbrella organization for hundreds of clubs across the country. A handful of board members had stepped down, but the USOC said a wholesale change was needed.

The USOC also is demanding much tighter reporting from USA Gymnastics on reforms it is making and requiring all USAG staff and board members to complete various safety and ethics training courses over the next six months.

Meanwhile, in Washington, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has begun an investigation of sexual abuse in organized sports.

Committee leaders from both political parties have sent letters to the USOC, Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics seeking information about how they handled the allegations against Nassar.

The House committee's letter to USA Gymnastics says the Nassar allegations "raise serious concerns about your organization's ability to oversee your sport and protect your athletes from abuse and mistreatment."

The committee also sent letters to USA Swimming and USA Taekwondo seeking information about how those organizations handled allegations of sexual misconduct.

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said her agency also is investigating the Nassar scandal and will hold Michigan State University accountable for any violations of federal law.

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Scandal roils Michigan State /