Ohio State has terminated Paul Hamm, assistant coach with the Ohio State men’s gymnastics team, the Ohio State Department of Athletics announced in a press release Friday.
“After meeting with Coach (Rustam) Sharipov and considering his recommendations, Paul Hamm has been terminated as an assistant coach with the Ohio State men’s gymnastics team, effective immediately,” Gene Smith, Ohio State associate vice president/director of athletics, said in the press release. “We have high standards for our coaching staff and unfortunately Mr. Hamm failed to meet those standards.”
His termination comes after Hamm was arrested and charged with assault and two other misdemeanors after he was accused of assaulting a taxi driver, damaging the cab and refusing to pay his cab fare in a Columbus suburb last Saturday, according to multiple media reports.
Hamm was hired as the assistant coach for the OSU men’s gymnastics team on June 6.
At the 2004 Olympics, he became the first American male to win the Olympic gold medal in the all-around. To qualify for the all-around medal, a gymnast must compete on all six apparatus in men’s gymnastics. He also took home a team silver medal and the silver medal for the horizontal bar at the same Olympics, which he trained for in Columbus.
Hamm was also the first American male to take home the world all-around title, which he won in 2003 in addition to the floor exercise title. In 2004, he received the James E. Sullivan award, given to America’s top amateur athlete.
Throughout his career, Hamm, a nine-time U.S. champion, also earned five world championship medals.
Hamm also competed in the 2000 Olympics.
The two-time Olympian and three-time Olympic gold medalist graduated from OSU in 2007 with an accounting degree.
Hamm did not respond to The Lantern‘s requests for comment.
