The same day that former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for years of sexual abuse against current and former Team USA members, AT&T announced it had cut ties with the troubled organization. The Texas-based telecommunications giant became the fifth major corporation to sever its business connections to USA Gymnastics. According to ESPN, Under Armor had previously decided to end its partnership with the organization early, whereas Hershey, Kellog, and Procter & Gamble decided not to renew their respective deals.
AT&T said in a statement that it would consider resuming its partnership once USA Gymnastics “is re-built and we know that the athletes are in a safe environment. The terrible abuse suffered by these young women is unconscionable.”
Aside from recalling their horrific stories for the court, current and former Team USA stars like Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney also targeted the organization itself. Raisman even went so far as to claim USA Gymnastics had been “rotting from the inside” for some time. Hence why many of Nassar’s accusers are suing the organization for “not doing enough to prevent the assaults, or of allowing them to continue.” As for the loss of branding deals with AT&T and other businesses, a quarter of Team USA’s $23.7 million revenue (in 2015) comes from such deals. Their losses will very likely devastate the group.
(Via Dallas Morning News)