He is considered a sports hero in his home country of Bulgaria, but here in Rochester, Marian Penev is an admitted rapist. The 40-year-old former gymnastics coach pleaded guilty Monday in both state and federal court to having intercourse and other sexual acts with a 13-year-old student. He had denied it for nearly a year, but today Marian Penev admitted to what he did to one of his students. Now, he will spend the next ten years in federal prison.
I’ve not been posting stories like these as they are so often sensationalized. I fear the risk to children will be exaggerated for profit as was done with eating disorders in the book Little Girls in Pretty Boxes.
The fact is — there are few children better protected, more nurtured, than kids in a gymnastics club. They are far safer at the gym than at school.
On the other hand, I don’t want to deny the (slight) risk either. Competitive gymnasts are extraordinarily compliant when it comes to the influence of their coaches.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 