A USA Gymnastics investigator recently interviewed a New Jersey-based private coach about allegations made by seven families that Maggie Haney, coach of Olympic and world champions, verbally and emotionally abused young athletes and pressured athletes to train and compete while injured, the Southern California News Group has learned.

Karen Goeller, who is also a noted gymnastics author, and consultant, said in an interview with SCNG she confirmed to the investigator that the seven families made allegations of abuse against Haney to her that were similar to charges the families previously made to USA Gymnastics.

“All these families are asking for help,” Goeller said.

“When you have six, seven teary eyes telling you their horror stories, you know it’s true,” she said about why she believed the allegations. “If it’s just one, you go, ‘Ehh, maybe she’s just not a tough kid.’ But six, seven?”

Goeller’s confirmation of the allegations to the investigator is the latest development in USA Gymnastics’ three-year probe into Haney, one of American gymnastics’ most well known and controversial coaches.

Moeller, in the SCNG interview, also described a body of complaints against Haney more wide ranging than previously revealed. “There’s at least 14 or 15 families that I know of,” Goeller said, who have accused Haney of verbal or emotional abuse.

USA Gymnastics officials first received complaints in 2016 about Haney’s alleged mistreatment of young gymnasts she coached at MG Elite Gymnastics in Monmouth Junction, N.J., according to USA Gymnastics emails obtained by SCNG and four people familiar with the investigation.

In addition to the 2016 complaints, USA Gymnastics general counsel Mark Busby has been aware of complaints against Haney since 2017, according to two people familiar with a USA Gymnastics investigation.

Haney continues to coach while under investigation. She recently attended the U.S. national team training camp and was also part of the U.S. coaching delegation at the Pan American Games in Lima earlier this summer.

Haney did not respond to a request for comment.

USA Gymnastics declined to respond to questions about the Haney investigation.

“Athlete safety and well-being are top priorities for USA Gymnastics, and all misconduct reports and concerns are taken very seriously and handled proactively,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement. “Thoroughly reviewing, evaluating and investigating a safe-sport report is vital, and the report/matter is handled confidentially in accordance with the established process and procedures, which fully comply with federal law and United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee requirements. USA Gymnastics comments on a specific safe-sport matter if and when the resolution involves a public-facing result, such as being added to the list of individuals on the suspension/restrictions or permanently ineligible for membership lists, or if a panel’s decision yields a public-facing result. USA Gymnastics may also comment on a specific safe-sport matter if it has been acknowledged publicly by the involved party.”

Goeller has authored 11 books on gymnastics and worked with former U.S. national team director Bela Karolyi. She said families from MG Elite have come to her in recent years in hopes she could eliminate mistakes in their daughters’ routines that triggered Haney’s alleged abuse.

Haney first gained international attention earlier this decade as the coach of Laurie Hernandez at MG Elite. Hernandez would go on to collect gold and silver medals at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

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Special Report: Maggie Haney still working with gymnasts despite suspension Hernandez took more than a year off from the sport after the Rio de Janeiro Games. She returned to gymnastics in 2018 and is training at Gym-Max in Costa Mesa, the same club that produced Olympic and World champion Kyla Ross. Hernandez hopes to make the 2020 Olympic team.

Haney currently coaches Riley McCusker, who won a gold medal with the U.S. squad in the team competition at the 2018 World Championships. McCusker, 18, was considered a contender for multiple medals at the 2019 Worlds that open this week in Stuttgart, Germany. Her Worlds’ hopes, however, ended when she was forced to withdraw from the USA Gymnastics Worlds selection camp last month because of rhabdomyolysis, a syndrome where muscle tissue is damaged because of injury or over exertion, which can lead to kidney damage.

McCusker recently returned to training with Haney, according to a person familiar with the situation.