US Olympic Committee CEO resigns, citing health problems

This Aug. 1, 2017, file photo shows U,S, Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun speaking about the Team USA WinterFest for the upcoming 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games at Yongsan Garrison, a U.S. military base in Seoul, South Korea. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Scott Blackmun is resigning as CEO of the US Olympic Committee, citing health problems as the reason he’ll depart after leading the federation for more than eight years.

The 60-year-old CEO was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this winter, and did not attend the Pyeongchang Games.

He announced his resignation Wednesday and Susanne Lyons, a member of the board, will serve as acting CEO.

Blackmun leaves the federation amid calls for his departure, including from two U.S. Senators, who said neither he nor the USOC as a whole have done enough to react to sex abuse cases inside the U.S. Gymnastics team.

The USOC is conducting an independent review of when Blackmun and others learned the details about abuse cases at USA Gymnastics and whether they responded appropriately.