Incoming CEO, outgoing chair address USOC abuse head-on

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — While the outgoing chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee expressed his “profound and deep regret” for not protecting the safety of American athletes, the new CEO called this a time to heed the lessons learned from sex-abuse survivors who want their Olympic leaders to pay more attention to their struggles.

Larry Probst, who recently announced he’ll be stepping down as chair at the end of the year, gave his last major speech at the USOC Assembly on Thursday, cutting himself no slack for the sex-abuse issues confronting the USOC.

And Sarah Hirshland, in her first appearance as CEO in front of the U.S. Olympic family, conceded she is a newcomer to this business but promised better relationships with athletes, many of whose voices and struggles long went unheard.