TO CLOSE

American gymnasts Aly Raisman and Jordyn Weiber addressed their attacker, Larry Nassar, during his sentencing hearing.
USA TODAY Sports

Mary Bono, former Congressman, has been appointed Acting Executive Director and President of USA Gymnastics.(Photo: Stephen J Boitano, Gannett)

Former Congressman Mary Bono has yielded to increasingly popular calls for her removal as CEO and acting president of the USA Gymnastics, announcing that she was retiring from her post from there just five days ago.

Bono abruptly resigned from acting as a result of tweets by Simone Biles and other gymnasts asking if Bono was fit to lead and what message she had sent to the abused women by Larry Nassar.

USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky confirmed Bono's resignation from USA TODAY Sports. His resignation was first reported by CNN.

USA Gymnastics has not responded to several messages from USA TODAY Sports in search of comments.

Biles criticized a Bono tweet that included a photo of Bono hiding the Nike logo on his golf shoes, which appeared to be a criticism of the approval contract between Nike and Colin Kaepernick.

"Bleeding," said Saturday Biles, also Nike athlete. "Do not worry, it's not like we need an American president of smarter gymnastics, sponsors or whatever."

More: Simone Biles is not happy with the new interim CEO of USA Gymnastics

More: USA Gymnastics Must Eliminate Bono After Last Failure Following Scandal

USA Gymnastics is looking for a clothing sponsor since Under Armor cut ties as a result of the Nassar scandal. Nike was considered a possible replacement because he is a sponsor of the US Olympic Committee.

Bono then deleted her tweet that she posted on Sept. 7 and apologized.

"I deeply regret having posted the tweet because I respect everyone's opinions and their fundamental right to express them," she said in a statement released by USA Gymnastics.

But the implication that Bono did not support Kaepernick's right to demonstrate raised red flags with many members of the gym, who blamed a culture of fear for allowing a predator like Nassar to flourish.

The longtime USA Gymnastics and Michigan State doctor has assaulted hundreds of girls and young women, including Biles and her last five teammates, Aly Raisman, Madison Kocian and Gabby Douglas. Nassar is currently serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to federal child pornography charges and sexual abuse charges.

Raisman and his attorney also expressed concern that USA Gymnastics had hired Bono despite his affiliation with law firm Faegre Baker Daniels. the Indianapolis Star announced that the company had been working with USA Gymnastics officials to provide "fake apologies" for Nassar's absence at major gymnastics competitions in 2015 rather than revealing to parents and gymnasts that he was the subject of an investigation for sexual assault on a child.

Bono was not affiliated with the office of Faegre Baker Daniels who worked with USA Gymnastics or with the law firm. She had worked on strategies and legislative policies for Faegre Baker Daniels Consulting.

"Why hire someone associated with the company that helped cover our abuses?" Tweeted Raisman on Monday.

Former gymnast, Bono was introduced by USA Gymnastics Board Chair Karen Golz as "an outstanding communicator able to bring together people with different perspectives and perspectives".

His brutal departure is an additional upheaval for USA Gymnastics, who struggled to overcome the Nassar scandal. Bono was appointed interim general manager on Friday as a recruitment committee hired by USA Gymnastics sought to replace Kerry Perry, who had resigned under pressure from Sept. 4 after nine months of attendance.

Perry 's resignation comes after the hiring of USA Gymnastics, and then the dismissal of a coach who had defended Nassar after more than 50 gymnasts had already come forward to accuse him of failing. ;abuse. Mary Lee Tracy was ousted from the Women's Development Coordinator after attempting to contact Raisman, who had criticized her recruitment.

USA Gymnastics is another source of entertainment and sends Biles and other gymnasts to the World Championships in Doha, where they will try to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. At a press conference with the World Team The first question Biles asked was about the Tweet Bono.

"I said what I said," said Biles. "Maybe after Doha, I'll be open to more questions about it."