An investigation into USA Gymnastics published Thursday determined the organization collected complaints of improper conduct by over 50 coaches between 1996 and 2006 and regularly declined to forward them on to the authorities unless expressly asked to do so, opening the door for further abuse in some cases.
The report's release comes as the U.S. women's program heads to the Olympics as the heavy favorites to defend the gold medal it won four years ago in London.
The report by The Indianapolis Star found several instances where USA Gymnastics, the sport's governing body in the U.S. that counts more than 3,000 gyms and 110,000 among its members, filed complaints away citing a policy in which it would only contact authorities when the complaint came directly from a victim or a victim's parents.