USA Diving CEO Out after Only 4 Months

On Friday, USA Diving announced the resignation of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Terry Bassett.

The move, announced by David Gascon, the chair of the USA Diving board of directors, comes just under 6 months before the start of competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. The USA Diving Olympic Trials will be held from June 14th-21st at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis.

While the organization was vague about the reasons for the departure, they included with the announcement a list of ‘frequently asked questions’ that say, among other things, that it was “a mutually agreed decision that Mr. Bassett’s resignation was appropriate at this time,” and that “it was obvious that Mr. Bassett no longer had the confidence of the Board of Directors and Staff.”

USA Diving is in the process of moving from Indianapolis to Colorado Springs, where a number of national governing bodies including USA Swimming reside.

Bassett was announced for the position in September and officially began his work on October 1, 2019, making just over 4 months on the job. He previously worked with the Miami Dolphins, NASCAR, Roger Penske’s Motosports Division, Professional Bull Riders, and the Nitro Circus. The prior CEO, Lee Walsi Johnson, left after 2-and-a-half years on the job, with USA Diving saying at the time that “the rapidly changing environment of sports in the Olympic movement has necessitated a change in the financial strategy of the organization.

American divers won 4 medals (1 silver and 3 bronze) at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships. That was the country’s highest medal total since the 2009 World Championships, where Americans won 4 silvers.