American gymnast Laurie Hernandez shared her story of mental and emotional abuse from former coach Maggie Haney on Wednesday, hours after Haney was suspended eight years by USA Gymnastics.
Hernandez, 19, won gold in the all-around team competition at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Haney coached Hernandez and fellow gymnast Riley McCusker in Monmouth Junction, N.J. before Hernandez took a two-year hiatus in 2016. Hernandez returned to gymnastics in 2018, but she did so in California, no longer with Haney.
Hernandez detailed consistent verbal and emotional abuse from Haney in an Instagram post on Thursday, noting, "I don't mind sharing my story.