Olympic Champion Laurie Hernandez details coach’s abuse
In an interview with The New York Times, Olympic champion Laurie Hernandez detailed the years of emotional and verbal abuse she suffered under coach Maggie Haney. USA Gymnastics has now suspended Haney from the sport for eight years. The interview sheds light on abuse that, according to Hernandez, “was all just so twisted that I thought it couldn’t be real.” When Haney would scream at her for small mistakes, push her to practice through serious injuries or berate her for gaining weight, Hernandez blamed herself and assumed that this was how all Olympians were made. “I thought I deserved all of it,” Hernandez said. “The toughest part about it was that there were no bruises or marks to show that it was real.” According to Hernandez, puberty was an especially challenging time in the gym.