Former U.S Olympic gymnastics coach commits suicide

Former U.S Olympic gymnastics coach John Geddert has died from suicide. The news broke out hours after the Michigan Attorney General, Dana Nessle , filled charges against him.

Former USA Olympic gymnastics coach John Geddert died by suicide Thursday after he was charged with the human trafficking and sexual assault of gymnasts he trained pic.twitter.com/sSz5hcVPlR

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 25, 2021

Some of the charges pressed against him included human trafficking, sexual assault of minors, and racketeering of police officials.

Yesterday, at 2:15 pm, Gebbert was expected to turn himself in to the Eaton County Sheriff Department. However, at 3:24 pm on the same day, his body was found by the Michigan State Police at a rest area off Interstate 96 in Clinton County.
The police department will lead an investigation into the former coach’s death. Currently, there are no additional details regarding his alleged suicide.

Former U.S Olympic gymnastics coach had ties with Larry Nassar

John Geddert was the fourth person to be charged after officials found connections between him and the already sentenced doctor of the U.S Olympic team, Larry Nassar.

BREAKING: AG Dana Nessel files 24 criminal sexual assault and abuse charges against John Geddert, former USA Olympics gymnastics coach and former owner of Twistars USA Gymnastics Club, accusing him of abusing dozens of young female athletes. pic.twitter.com/NY3qd7vGCB

— Mark Cavitt (@MarkCavitt) February 25, 2021

In 2018, Nassar was sentenced from 40 to 175 years in prison for sexually assaulting women and girls for over nearly three decades. At the time he was already serving a 60-year federal sentence for possessing over 30,000 images of child pornography.
That same year, the USA Gymnastics suspended Geddert because of the scandal and his criminal investigation began after the incarceration of Nassar. According to the Michigan Attorney General, the crimes alleged against the former coach were the result of his behavior and encompassed incidents that occur over nearly a decade from 2008 to 2018.

The price of gold medals

John Geddert was the coach of the 2012 U.S Olympic Gymnastics Team that won gold at the London Olympics. Many former gymnasts have come out with statements against him, alleging physical and psychological abuse. Also, he owned the gymnastics facility, where multiple victims of Larry Nassar claim they were abused.

As a minor on the National Team, I frequently had to travel (without my parents) under the supervision of USA Gymnastics. The “responsible” adults included John Geddert, Marvin Sharpe, Steve Penny, and Larry Nassar.

— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) February 26, 2021

There were a total of 24 charges pressed against Geddert, including 20 counts of human trafficking of minors, first and second-degree charges for sexual assault of a minor, and racketeering and lying to a police officer.