Shocking gymnastics scandal. Sexual abuse at the hands of her team's doctor.
Larry Nassar. More than 130 women. Three under the age of 13.
Rocking the world of gymnasts.
U.S. gymnast McKayla Maroney.
Aly Raisman. Superstar Simone Biles
You're saying you were sexually abused? Yes, absolutely.
While you were out there representing your country? Yes.
We're the midst of the biggest sex abuse scandal in US sports history and the
lack of accountability is staggering. Back in September of 2016, the
Indianapolis Star came out with an explosive investigation that revealed
rampant sex abuse against USA Gymnastics.
The newspaper found that USA Gymnastics
failed to report complaints of abuse dating back to 1996.
The system failed these women for 20 years
Meet Larry Nasser. Serial predator and
former doctor at Michigan State University. He was the team physician for
US gymnasts at four Olympics.
More than 140 women have come forward.
That is the highest number of accusations against a single person in U.S. sports history.
I have vivid flashbacks of him assaulting me. He sexually abused me hundreds of times.
It has been hell. He touched the most innocent places on my body that day.
Everyone trusted him. I told myself I needed to trust him too.
The women have since filed criminal
complaints against Nasser accusing him of sexual abuse. They are also suing the
organizations that failed to protect them. In multiple instances described in
the lawsuits, victims reached out to other members of USA gymnastics or MSU
staff to no avail.
In 2014, I has an appointment with Larry Nassar for hip
and back pain. At the end of a long and tiring appointment, that man sent his
resident out of the room and then stuck his hand up my shirt and down my pants.
I knew that he had abused me. I reported it. The investigation done by MSU was
brief and sloppy. It left me feeling disposable and worthless
Larry Nassar was cleared to practice again under new guidelines that were
never actually enforced. Michigan State University, the school I loved and
trusted, had the audacity to tell me that I did not understand the difference
between sexual assault and a medical procedure.
In 2015, Nassar unceremoniously
left his volunteer position at USA Gymnastics. It's unclear whether he was
forced or retired. It's a he said, they said situation. But what is clear is that
USA Gymnastics admits to knowing about Nassar
in 2015. It alerted the FBI but not
the Olympic Committee, MSU Police or any other organizations where Nassar worked.
Which means Nassar continued working with and abusing children and students for
another 14 months before the Indy Star report was published.
USA Gymnastics failed its most basic responsibility to protect the athletes under its care.
In December 2017, Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in prison for child pornography.
How do you plead? Guilty, as stated, your honor.
At other hearings, he pled guilty to ten counts of first degree criminal sexual
assault and yet the organizations involved didn't exactly respond accordingly.
USA Gymnastics hired a former federal prosecutor to conduct an
investigation into how to protect their athletes. The result? 70 policy and
procedural changes for the future of USA Gymnastics. None of which hold those in
power accountable for their failure to protect hundreds of victims.
You claim you're deeply sorry for what we have gone through but you have not listened
to one word we have said.
After the Olympic Committee called for his resignation,
USA Gymnastics President Steve Kenny finally left in March of
2017 with a million dollar severance package. No one else has been forced out
On the same day Nasser was sentenced, USA Gymnastics filed a motion to dismiss the
civil lawsuits against them.
Shame on USA Gymnastics for doing that. You didn't
need to do it today.
USA Gymnastics has not been stripped of any of its power.
It still selects the Olympic and World Championship teams
And as for MSU?
I'm still in the search for my alma mater to take responsibility.
Only former women's gymnastics coach Kathy Klages was suspended with pay
after her passionate defense of Nassar to a room full of collegiate gymnasts.
She retired the following day.
Reports were made in 1998 and it was blown off by so
many people including Kathy. I went to her with the same exact report and she
did the same thing to me.
No one else at MSU has been forced out either.
Since Nassar was indicted, I want to assure the survivors that we are all conducting
a thorough and impartial investigation in this matter.
MSU hasn't released any findings about its handling of sexual assault claims
and it's denied any responsibility to the hundreds of victims.
Where were you when we needed you? If you would have only listened
to all the women that brought complaints and concerns over all these years, this would have saved
so many children and women from being abused.
And that leaves the United States Olympic Committee.
The Olympic community failed the people it
was supposed to protect.
The national governing bodies of multiple Olympics
sports have been inundated with massive institutionalized sexual abuse claims.
USA Gymnastics, USA Swimming, US speed skating and USA taekwondo have all had
their turn in the spotlight for years of abuse and cover-ups. The CEO of the
Olympic Committee sent a letter of apology for Nasser's behavior but he
was clear that the Committee was not aware and therefore has no
responsibility. In 2017, the Olympic Committee created a new division to
ensure the safety of its millions of athletes but only nine people and four contract
investigators work in the office and that office oversees millions of young athletes.
Ultimately no one at the Olympic Committee has had any disciplinary
action as a result of these sex abuse scandals.
MSU, USAG and USOC,
you have yet to take responsibility for what happened on your watch.
So, basically the same people are still working
and none of these organizations have taken responsibility.
But the victims will not be silenced any longer.
Little girls don't stay little forever.
They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world.
You might have broken us but from this rubble, we will rise.
Abusers, your time is up.
The survivors are here standing tall and we are not going anywhere.
you