Andrew Fuller, a gymnast who competes in trampoline and tumbling events, has accused former USA Gymnastics coach Dr. George Drew of drugging and abusing him while Fuller was training in Michigan.
Fuller sent the following note in a tweet last night:
Drew was the director of USA Gymnastics’ trampoline and tumbling programs from 2015 to 2017. Last summer, he announced that he was retiring from his position to “focus my full attention on my family’s changing needs and directing an emergency medicine department.”
Update (1/31/18, 6:31 p.m.):
An attorney representing George Drew sent Deadspin the following statement:
The allegations of Andrew Fuller that you have published are not only completely false and slanderous, they were fully investigated by the Pinkerton Agency for USA Gymnastics and were found to be wholly without merit.
Update (1/31/18, 9:49 p.m.):
Yesterday, the USAG’s official Twitter account confirmed that it has reported the allegations against George Drew to Safe Sport:
When reached for comment, Safe Sport told Deadspin, “To protect those individuals who report, as well as the integrity of the investigative process, we do not speak about active matters.”
Update (2/1/18, 10:28 p.m.):
An attorney representing George Drew sent Deadspin further comment:
Dr. George Drew is aware of the recent internet postings of Andrew Fuller. Mr. Fuller’s statements are completely false and untrue. They are similar to allegations Mr. Fuller made to Safesport and USA Gymnastics in 2015, which were thoroughly investigated by the independent Pinkerton Agency as hired by Safesport and/or USA Gymnastics and were found to be without merit. Any publication of these vicious lies is libelous to Dr. Drew and will not be tolerated. Dr. Drew’s recent resignation from USA Gymnastics was completely voluntary and entirely related to his interest in spending more time with his family and attending to his elderly father. The resignation was in no way associated with Fuller’s recent claims which Dr. Drew had assumed were debunked and dead. Mr. Fuller is obviously trying to capitalize on the recent tragic events involving Larry Nassar in order to repeat his completely false and debunked claims to draw attention to himself.
Update (2/2/18, 2:18 p.m.):
Deadspin has obtained an email sent by USA Gymnastics COO Ron Galimore to Andrew Fuller on Oct. 7, 2017. In the email Galimore explains that allegations Fuller made against George Drew to USA Gymnastics officials on Oct. 4, 2017, were being investigated by Safe Sport. The email also states that previous allegations that Fuller had made against Drew were investigated by USA Gymnastics in 2015 and 2016, and that the investigation had concluded after Fuller did not respond to an opportunity to be interviewed despite “a diligent attempt by the investigator to speak with you about concerns you raised.”
In a statement released on Twitter yesterday Fuller said that he did not cooperate with the investigator because he did not feel that the investigator was impartial and unbiased:
Update (2/5/18, 10:01 a.m.):
Andrew fuller has locked his Twitter account, but screenshots of his tweets have been added to this post. He has not responded to requests for further comment.
Update (2/9/18, 1:55 p.m.):
Andrew Fuller has made his Twitter account public again, and confirmed on a phone call with Deadspin that he has been contacted by Safe Sport about the recent allegations he made against George Drew. He also confirmed that he was previously contacted by an investigator about past allegations he made against Drew, but did not cooperate with that investigator because he believed the person was acting in favor of USA Gymnastics.
We will update this story as more information becomes available.