Despite resigning amid heavy criticism for his handling of allegations (eventually proven true) of widespread abuse within gymnastics and other Olympic sports, former U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun received severance pay of $2.4 million.
The New York Times reports that the severance pay was released in a July 3rd financial report from the Olympic body, which has now rebranded itself as the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, or U.S.O.P.C.
Blackmun had been CEO of the organization since 2010. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January of 2018 and resigned a month later. He’s taken significant criticism for his action (or inaction) in the various abuse scandals within Olympic sports. In particular, the Times story references a report that said Blackmun knew about accusations against former sports doctor Larry Nassar for more than a year before they became public. The report says Blackmun did nothing to investigate the reports or stop Nassar, who was later publicly accused of abuse, pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct and was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison in what became a major scandal for USA Gymnastics and the former USOC.
Blackmun has previously taken criticism from the Committee to Restore Integrity, a collection of former Olympians and sports stakeholders. The Committee to Restore Integrity responded to Blackmun’s reported severance this week, saying it was “outraged” at the payment.
“The Committee to Restore Integrity to the USOC is outraged that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Board would award any severance to disgraced former CEO, Scott Blackmun, let alone $2.4 million,” the organization’s press release says. “Scott Blackmun is under FBI investigation, he covered up for a serial child molester, he has been removed from the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, and has been called out for leadership failures by two major reports. More than 150 Olympians and Paralympians are now calling for USOPC Board and staff resignations for breach of their fiduciary duty. They are joined by much of the athlete-survivor and abuse-expert community.”
That’s messed up he knew about Larry Nassar a year before the news came out. He had an obligation to protect athletes!
Speaking of corrupt, how and why is the ultracorrupt Dale Neuburger still on the FINA Board. This guy needs to work for TSE or FINA, not both. No wonder we have cheating athletes competing against clean athetes.
He is an embarrassment to USA swimming. Just an outright fraud. He can’t retire soon enough
I read that there was a note circulated by USOC that medical & support staff not use private rooms for treatment at the Olympics . Belatedly in 2015 they did take away his accreditation about the same time the FBI was informed . They would be guilty of not protecting athletes under their care there but Im not sure how much control the USOC has over the sports in the 3.9 years between Olympics .
That’s a fiction Blackmun tried to sell – that “the USOC cannot control the NGBs.” Nonsense. Not only “can” the USOC require NGBs to protect athletes, it has been required under the Sports Act since 1978. Blackmun (and the Board) just didn’t want to hold NGBs feet to the fire. The Committee to Restore Integrity to the USOC wrote a memo to Congress in early 2018 telling them it was nonsense – Suzanne Lyons acknowledged the fiction in Congressional hearings. Since then, the USOPC has not tried to use that garbage of an excuse for the USOPC to sit on the sidelines while athletes are being abused.
Outrageous! That money should be divided among the victims. So glad he can purchase a yacht with his severance package.
Market forces and all, y’all
who is on that board that made the award?
Here are the meeting minutes that discuss his separation. It would appear as though he had an employment contract, not knowing the terms of the contract, they may have been forced to pay him. The notes seem to indicate that the board is kissing his arse. https://www.teamusa.org/-/media/About-the-USOC/Board-Docs/031318-February-25-2018–Approved-Minutes.pdf
“Board members expressed appreciation for Mr. Blackmun’s eight years of service as USOC CEO, his integrity, industry, and humility, and in particular the progress he had led in the area of SafeSport over this time.” kinda proves the board is made or morons…they ALL should go!
Seems legit.