AP lands scoop on a long investigation and recent arrest of a gymnastics coach accused of sexually abusing three young athletes

By Ryan J. Foley and Eddie Pells

Looking through recently unsealed search warrants in Iowa, Ryan Foley came upon documents that he recognized carried major news value: A former coach at one of the nation’s most prestigious gymnastics training facilities had been accused of sexually abusing athletes. Police had been aware of the allegations against Sean Gardner for more than three years but hadn’t filed any charges. In fact, Gardner had managed to get a job at an Iowa hospital.

In May, investigators executing a search warrant at Gardner’s home made a shocking discovery: He was accused of installing a hidden camera in a bathroom at a gym where he used to work in Mississippi to record girls as young as 6 who were nude, using the toilet or undressing.

Foley knew that AP sports writer Eddie Pells had published a series of scoops on the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the watchdog group that had quietly suspended Gardner. They teamed up, along with Top Stories editor Mary Sedor, to both broaden the reporting and sharpen the focus of an accountability story.

Foley got a law enforcement source to confirm that the documents had been mistakenly made public, then quickly sealed once he started asking questions. He also confirmed that the Iowa hospital had cut ties with Gardner.

When the FBI arrested Gardner on a federal child pornography charge, Foley, Pells and Sedor were soon ready with their full accountability story on the case, the investigation and SafeSport’s role. Other outlets worked for days to match, with many using AP’s reporting or citing AP directly for the scoop.

Foley and Pells reached out widely to law enforcement and figures in the gymnastics community. One of those efforts paid off with a victim’s mother, who was impressed by the reporting and helped arrange an exclusive follow-up interview with her daughter. Foley also uncovered old YouTube videos of Gardner discussing his promotions at Chow’s Gymnastics with local Iowa media.

Judges noted the quick follow-up story interviewing one of the athletes and the tenacity required to land the scoop.

For their dogged work on an accountability story that left no angle behind, Foley and Pells win this week’s Best of the Week – First Winner.