The United States Olympic Committee announced the resignation of President Scott Blackmun Wednesday afternoon.
Blackmun, who has served as the committee's CEO since 2010, resigned because of health issues stemming from prostate cancer, according to a statement from the USOC. Board member Susanne Lyons will serve as acting CEO. Blackmun announced his diagnosis in January.
"Given Scott’s current health situation, we have mutually agreed it is in the best interest of both Scott and the USOC that we identify new leadership so that we can immediately address the urgent initiatives ahead of us,” USOC Chairman Larry Probst said in the statement. “The important work that Scott started needs to continue and will require especially vigorous attention in light of Larry Nassar’s decades-long abuse of athletes affiliated with USA Gymnastics."
Blackmun apologized to survivors of Nassar's abuse in an open letter published in late January, also calling on the entire board of USA Gymnastics to resign over the scandal. In the letter, Blackmun threatened to decertify USA Gymnastics if they did not embrace suggested changes in their leadership structure.
A trio of United States senators requested Blackmun's resignation earlier this month, The State News reported previously. Blackmun sent a letter to the Associated Press in December 2017 stating he was unaware of allegations against Nassar prior to the involvement of law enforcement.
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