Disgraced Olympic Gymnastics Coach Set To Return From Suspension

Maggie Haney, the former Olympic gymnastics coach suspended for abusive conduct, is now permitted to resume training athletes for USA Gymnastics competitions after serving a five-year ban from sanctioned training and competition.

Haney’s suspension ended on April 30, 2025.

Over half a dozen families alleged “physical, verbal, and emotional abuse” perpetrated by Haney and her assistant coach, Victoria Levine, at MG Elite Gymnastics in Morganville, N.J.

Known for coaching 2016 Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez and World gold medalist Riley McCusker, Haney was initially suspended for eight years in 2020 after a three-person panel appointed by the Ethics and Grievance Committee found she had “repeatedly emotionally and verbally abused young athletes.”

Background Of The Abuse

Although complaints about Haney’s abuse first surfaced in 2016, USA Gymnastics did not initiate a formal investigation until 2019.

Hernandez’s mother, Wanda Hernandez, was the first to report the allegations after overhearing her daughter’s concerning conversation with a teammate about Haney’s behavior. In that moment, Hernandez opened up to her mother.

“She sat me down, and I gave in and told her everything,” the Olympian said in a social media post. “She wrote it down and immediately sent it to USA Gymnastics.” However, Hernandez’s allegations only came to light three years later after reports mounted from fellow concerned parents and athletes.

In Spring 2019, McCusker’s mother urged USA Gymnastics’ general counsel to contact families who had left Haney’s gym, citing that they had also experienced issues with Haney and Levine’s coaching.

The initial reaction was mixed, with some families adamantly supporting Haney. The father of 2024 Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera called Haney’s suspension “the biggest scapegoat story.” However, half a dozen families joined the list of accusers, also alleging verbal abuse and overtraining to the point of injury.

Athlete Testimonies

Speaking live at the 2020 disciplinary hearing, Hernandez detailed the emotional abuse she endured under Haney’s supervision.

“[Haney]

would humiliate me in front of others without a doubt, constantly make comments about me gaining weight,” she shared, adding that her coach would “curse” at Hernandez and force her to train on multiple injuries.

In a separate interview with The New York Times in 2020, Hernandez elaborated on the emotional pain inflicted by the abuse. “I thought I deserved all of it,” she said. “The toughest part about it was that there were no bruises or marks to show that it was real. It was all just so twisted that I thought it couldn’t be real.”

Riley McCusker, a national uneven bars champion and 2018 World Championship team gold medalist, submitted a written testimony. She later filed a lawsuit against Haney, alleging negligence and emotional distress.

The suit claimed Haney and her assistant coach forced her to train through multiple injuries, including a severe case of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis—a life-threatening condition caused by muscle breakdown due to overtraining.

Though Hernandez and McCusker were the most prominent participants in the hearing, multiple families alleged abuse under Haney, reporting that “athletes were forced to remove casts and train on injured limbs.” (Orange County Register).

Multiple interviews reported how Haney pulled athletes by the hair, used crude language to berate students, and even threatened to commit suicide if gymnasts attempted to leave her team at MG Elite.

Though the reported abuse was rampant, parents were forbidden from accessing the gym during team practices, instilling a culture of fear and secrecy for young athletes. “The kids were afraid to speak up,” a former coach said.

Suspension And Probation

Haney was initially given an eight-year suspension, which was later reduced to five years after an arbitrator ruled that parts of the testimony used in the original decision were inadmissible.

With the ruling, Haney was barred from USA Gymnastics membership and prohibited from coaching its athletes or working within member clubs throughout her suspension.

Therefore, none of her athletes were permitted to compete at the nation’s premier elite competitions, notably the U.S. Classic and U.S. Championships.

While Haney was prohibited from attending competitions or training athletes for USA Gymnastics events throughout the suspension, she continued to coach at MG Elite Gymnastics until her suspension officially ended on April 30, 2025.

Now that her suspension has been served, Haney enters a two-year probationary period, during which she may resume training athletes for USA Gymnastics-sanctioned competition and attend sanctioned meets.

Haney must also complete “specified courses overseen by the United States Center for SafeSport,” an organization committed to fostering a sport culture free from emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and misconduct.

Only after completing these steps may she reapply for full reinstatement.

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