Years after abuse reports, ex-coach at renowned US gymnastics academy is arrested by FBI
August 18, 2025
A coach at a center in Iowa that has trained Olympic champions is facing allegations that he abused young female gymnasts and secretly photographed others undressing at a prior job in Mississippi. Sean Gardner, who coached at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, has been temporarily barred from all contact with USA Gymnastics since July 2022 due to unspecified allegations of misconduct. He has not been charged criminally while a police investigation continues. But three years after abuse allegations were reported to police and he was removed from USA Gymnastics, the FBI arrested him last week on a federal child pornography charge. He has been ordered detained pending further proceedings in Mississippi.