Top gymnastics board members resign in wake of abuse case

Three top board members of USA Gymnastics resigned and the man who coached the 2012 Olympic team was suspended Monday, after calls from angry gymnasts who say the organization did nothing to protect them after they were abused by former team doctor Larry Nassar.

Chairman Paul Parilla, vice chair Jay Binder and treasurer Bitsy Kelley announced they were stepping down as testimony in Nassar’s sentencing hearing in Michigan moved into its second week. Nassar faces a minimum prison sentence of 25 to 40 years in a molestation case.

Later Monday, USA Gymnastics suspended the coach of the 2012 Olympics team, John Geddert, who worked with Nassar at his gyms in Michigan.

USA Gymnastics CEO Steve Penny was forced out last year.

A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that USOC CEO Scott Blackmun met with Parilla earlier this month and asked for his resignation. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the issue publicly.

In a statement, Blackmun said the USOC has been discussing changes with leaders at USA Gymnastics since October.

NFL

GIANTS HIRE SHURMUR» Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has been hired as the New York Giants head coach.

The Giants announced the hiring late Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after Shurmur and the Vikings were beaten by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game.

The 52-year-old Shurmur replaces Ben McAdoo, who was fired in early December with the team mired with a 2-10 record and owners and fans upset with his handling of the benching of two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo took over for the final four games and posted a 1-3 record.

Shurmur was one of six candidates to interview for the job. He returns to the head coaching ranks for the first time since leading the Browns in 2011-12.

NBA

BUCKS FIRE KIDD» The Milwaukee Bucks fired coach Jason Kidd on Monday amid a midseason slide that has left the playoff hopeful in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

It was a surprising end to Kidd’s three-plus season tenure in Milwaukee, when the Bucks made the playoffs twice. Giannis Antetokounmpo turned into an All-Star under his watch, and the Bucks were considered an emerging force in the East at the start of the season.

But the Bucks had lost four of five going into Monday night’s home game against Phoenix, and had been prone to defensive lapses especially on the perimeter. Assistant coach Joe Prunty was serving as head coach.

Under Kidd, the Bucks had a regular-season record of 139-152.

College basketball

KENTUCKY OUT OF TOP 25» Kentucky is out of the AP Top 25 for the first time in nearly four years while Villanova maintained its hold on No. 1.

Kentucky slid out of Monday’s latest poll from No. 18 after losses to South Carolina and Florida, snapping a 30-game home winning streak for the Wildcats in Southeastern Conference play. That dropped coach John Calipari’s Wildcats out for the first time since March 2014 and snapped a 68-week stretch in the poll.

The top three of Villanova, Virginia and Purdue remained the same, with the Wildcats (18-1) remaining firmly in place by collecting 63 of 65 first-place votes.