The University of Michigan cut ties with former USA gymnastics executive Rhonda Faehn on Sunday, just three days after she was hired as a consultant for the women’s team — a move blasted as a “wrong decision” by the school’s athletic director in light of her response to allegations of sexual abuse by former team doctor Larry Nassar.
Faehn, 47, was introduced by Michigan athletic officials as a consultant for the women’s gymnastics team on Saturday after finalizing her agreement with the Wolverines on Thursday. She then joined the team for its trip to Alabama, but university officials did an about-face over the weekend after some of its board of regents criticized Faehn’s hiring, saying it wasn’t in the school’s “best interest” to continue the short-lived partnership.
“It was the wrong decision, and I apologize,” athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement released late Sunday. “Our student-athletes are our highest priority and I want to do everything in my power to support them fully and put the focus back on their athletic performance.”
The statement did not elaborate as to what prompted the abrupt reversal, but at least one university regent said Faehn — who left USA Gymnastics as its senior vice president in May after being criticized by some of Nassar’s victims, including six-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman, for her handling of potential abuse concerns — should’ve never been hired in the first place.
“I give the president [Mark Schlissel] and athletic director [Manuel] credit for reviewing this process that was ultimately misguided,” regent Paul Brown told MLive.com.
After a “comprehensive” search, Michigan officials formally announced Faehn’s hiring on Saturday, praising her technical knowledge and experience in gymnastics that spanned more than two decades. Manuel said he supported the recommendation by coach Ben Plocki “only after a thorough review” of both her coaching career and time spent with USA Gymnastics.
“The well-being and safety of our student-athletes is always our highest priority,” Manuel said in Saturday’s statement. “Our current student-athletes had a prominent voice throughout this search process to provide their perspective. This included a meeting between me and the captains before a final decision was made.”
University officials later determined that Faehn reported “all information available” to her regarding Nassar, who is now serving decades in prison for sexual assault and possession of child pornography after hundreds of athletes said they were sexually abused by him.
Faehn testified before Congress last year and said she first reported an allegation against Nassar in June 2015 to her then-boss, Steve Penny. Nassar, 55, was not arrested until more than a year later. Faehn was not charged with any wrongdoing in the Nassar scandal, but she stepped down from USA Gymnastics after Raisman called for her resignation during an interview with the Indianapolis Star.
Other university regents, meanwhile, had said they were displeased by Faehn’s hiring after talking with survivors and hearing their concerns.
“I appreciate the input I have received from the people of Michigan and the survivor community and believe this contract should be terminated immediately,” regent Jordan Acker told the Detroit Free Press.