Bono resigns as USA Gymnastics president after four days
When former California Congresswoman Mary Bono took over as the interim president for USA Gymnastics last week, she pointed to the opportunity to “reconnect” with a sport she loved growing up.
The connection lasted all of four days. Bono stepped down on Tuesday, saying she felt her affiliation with the embattled organization would be a “liability” after a social media post by Bono criticizing Nike and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick drew widespread scrutiny within the gymnastics community.
She posted a picture on Twitter in September of herself drawing over a Nike logo on a golf shoe. Bono, who was at a golf tournament for families who have lost members of the armed services at the time, called the tweet “an emotional reaction” to Nike’s use of the phrase “believing in something even if it means sacrificing everything.” “I regret that at the time I didn’t better clarify my feelings,” Bono said in a statement.
Bono defended her right to express her beliefs, though she later deleted the tweet and the USA Gymnastics board of directors expressed its disappointment while pledging its support. Bono
Not everyone, however, was won over by the surprise decision to hire Bono to help USA Gymnastics navigate its way through the fallout of the Larry Nassar scandal. More than 200 women have come forward over the last two years claiming they were sexually abused by Nassar under the guise of treatment.
Olympic champion Simone Biles, who is among Nassar survivors, quote-tweeted Bono’s photo concerning Kaepernick on Saturday and wrote: “*mouth drop* don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything.”
Testimony ends at trial
NEW YORK >> Testimony at a trial about secret payments in college basketball drew to a close Tuesday after prosecutors asked the jury to focus on a flurry of texts and phone calls, some involving legendary Louisville coach Rick Pitino, about Brian Bowen Jr. in the days before the prized prospect committed to the school.
Christian Dawkins, a business manager courting Bowen’s family, former amateur league director Merl Code and former Adidas executive James Gatto have pleaded not guilty in federal court in Manhattan to charges that they committed fraud by funneling funds to families of coveted prospects to get them to attend major programs sponsored by the sneaker company.