Fairfield coach addresses accusations after being named to top USA Gymnastics position

Описание: FAIRFIELD, Ohio (WKRC) - A world- renowned gymnastics coach is speaking out after accusations that she supported a sexual predator.

Mary Lee Tracy says she may step down from a top role with USA Gymnastics because of the controversy.

A coach for 40 years, Tracy owns Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy in Fairfield. She coached the 1996 women's Olympic team to gold. USA Gymnastics just tapped her as the new elite developmental coordinator.

"You do a lot of mentoring and helping coaches, a little moreso than the athletes, and it just looked something like at this point in my life that would fit for me," Tracy said.

Tracy's excitement was short-lived. Olympic gold medal winner Aly Raisman tweeted her disappointment, saying Tracy supported Larry Nassar. The sexual predator is serving 175 years for assaulting Raisman and more than 200 other women and girls.

"She thinks I supported Larry versus supporting the survivors, and I think that's what she's lashing out at, but that was never my intention to ever negate what a survivor said," Tracy said.

When allegations against the Women's Olympic Gymnastics Team doctor came out, it was difficult to accept.

"I'd been working with Larry Nassar at events for over 25 years, and as I have stated, for that period of time, he had done nothing but good for my athletes and myself personally," Tracy said. "And now I realize he manipulated me, fooled me and all of my athletes while he was doing the same thing to other people, and it disgusts me. It horrifies me. He was an evil, evil, sick, manipulative person."

Since the Nassar scandal, USA Gymnastics changed rules to protect athletes. Tracy's own gym is completely open so gymnasts are never alone with staff. She's hoping for more change.

"I would say to these survivors: help us. I know some of them share more. Some of them don't share, and I respect that, but we need to know more so that we can help prevent this from ever happening again," she said.

Tracy says the internet comments have harmed her family, and her family's well-being is more important to her than her new role with USA Gymnastics.