Lawsuits against USA Gymnastics, Larry Nassar, etc. - news & updates

[Jimena]

And that is why I said that the sport needs to change. It's an abusive culture.

 

[Lara]

Aly tweeted a lovely message of support for Mattie (I haven't read her impact statement but what Miss Val wrote was heartbreaking). I am so so impressed with her and hope she does take a leadership position of some sort in the future.

 

[VGThuy]

A lot of the victims ended up going to UCLA and it's nice to see their college experience and Miss Val may have provided them the support they did not get from USAG.

 

[Lara]

Mattie’s statement was a Twitter Moment. Dear God.

I sincerely hope this can help her heal now.

 

[Erin]

Aly tweeted a lovely message of support for Mattie (I haven't read her impact statement but what Miss Val wrote was heartbreaking). I am so so impressed with her and hope she does take a leadership position of some sort in the future.

Aly's mom also had a nice message for Mattie. You can see where Aly gets it from.

I haven't watched Mattie's statement either but the bits and pieces that came out on twitter were heartbreaking. Things like injuring herself on purpose to avoid camp. I hope she finds peace after this.

 

[floskate]

I just wish finished watching Mattie's statement - harrowing . How that poor girl functioned on any level as an elite I will never know. Interesting she stuck it to Valeri Liukin. His coaching of everyone bar his own daughter has been scrutinized a fair bit over the years. Remember his reaction to Rebecca Bross's kamikaze DTY at Nationals?

 

[Artistic Skaters]

*** USA Gymnastics needs to blow things up and start over with a safe, fresh foundation :
https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...2ba682-ff80-11e7-bb03-722769454f82_story.html

Nine months before the 2016 Summer Games opened in Rio, a reprimand unprecedented in Olympic history was leveled upon Russia’s track and field team. The international governing body for track and field stripped the Russian team of its license to participate in Rio upon a mountain of evidence that a systemic, state-sponsored doping program fueled the Russian team.

“The whole system,” International Association of Athletics President Sebastian Coe stated at the time, “has failed the athletes, not just in Russia, but around the world.”

The International Federation of Gymnastics should apply that precedent to USA Gymnastics.

*** U.S.A. Gymnastics Still Values Medals More Than Girls :
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/opinion/usa-gymnastics-abuse-nassar.html

Here’s where they can start:

First: U.S.A. Gymnastics has yet to admit that its response was inadequate or hold those who were negligent accountable. Until it does, the system that allowed Dr. Nassar and others to abuse without consequence will remain. “I think U.S.A. Gymnastics for a very, very long time has focused on nothing but winning gold medals,” Shawn Johnson, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist, said in a YouTube video on Monday. “As it pertains to U.S.A. Gymnastics, every single procedure, rule, guideline, rule book you’ve ever made needs to be thrown out the window and redone.” Exactly.

 

[barbk]

Not sport, but three school administrators in Colorado are facing (misdemeanor) criminal charges for failure to report sexual abuse. After trying their best to convince a girl that it hadn't happened -- they then suspended her. https://www.denverpost.com/2018/01/...-leaders-child-sex-assault-reporting-hearing/

I'm astonished. These were mandatory reporters. They had to know the rules --- rule one of which is that it is not your job to investigate, it is your job to immediately file a report with social services.

At a deeper level, we need to figure out how to convince adults - athletic, religious, or educational authorities - that protecting children is more substantially more important than protecting reputations, and that failure to act makes them complicit in the abuse.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

Sport is a niche for abusive/overpower relationships. It has been for a long long time. Medals matter more than athletes. that was the way in the communist era, where medals meant political propaganda. (though I am sure it has existed in non-communists countries too). I hope I am not off-topic here (for talking about skating...), but I sometimes look at some of our best women on the circuit and see things that makes me at times. I see the look on some of these young women/teenagers and wonder. It is pure speculation, but I have always trusted my eyes and heart and unfortunately my feelings have been more than often right. Sure in these cases, I assume it is far worst as the number, the multiples times where psychological and sexual abuses have been done. It makes me sick, truly sick to see hear and read what all these girls have been through ad in spite of this, went out and won medals. They were truly soldiers trained to win, no matter what...

 

[judiz]

delete

 

[ilovepaydays]

Nassar sentenced to 40 to 175 years - he already has a 60 year sentence from federal convictions.

Statement from USOC

 

[skatfan]

The USOC is finally doing something. I'd like to hear more about the structure and scope of the independent investigation. It's a start. Time will tell.

 

[VGThuy]

I really hope the USOC follows through with this.

 

[Karina1974]

Well, maybe the USA needs to be made to sit out the next Olympics. This is a LOT more serious than falsifying ages.

*** USA Gymnastics needs to blow things up and start over with a safe, fresh foundation :
https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...2ba682-ff80-11e7-bb03-722769454f82_story.html

*** U.S.A. Gymnastics Still Values Medals More Than Girls :
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/opinion/usa-gymnastics-abuse-nassar.html

 

[Willin]

@Karina1974 I'm conflicted about that. In a sport like Gymnastics where the window of opportunity to go to the Olympics is so short, I don't believe the gymnasts themselves should sit out. I do agree that all leadership and coaches that were complicit should have to sit out the Olympics. Perhaps allow the gymnasts to train at their home gyms all year and then have the USOC handle the selection/registration/competition processes for the Olympics?

 

[Debbie S]

Forcing the U.S. gymnasts to sit out the Olys would only punish the athletes (and make them much less likely to report abuse the next time). It's the higher-ups that need to be punished.

 

[skatfan]

Forcing the U.S. gymnasts to sit out the Olys would only punish the athletes (and make them much less likely to report abuse the next time). It's the higher-ups that need to be punished.

They wouldn't have to sit out. The IOC has provisions for neutral athletes to compete. It might mean they couldn't compete the team competition. Since the USOC is holding the threat of decertification over the USAG for changes, it'll be up to them, not USAG.

 

[FiveRinger]

All of these revelations are horrifying. I cannot bring myself to watch Mattie’s or any of the other girls’ statements because they are so heartbreaking. I have read bits and pieces. They made me physically sick. What is so disgusting is the fact that these were children, and they deserved to be cherished for that alone, but to be victimized and abused by people whose job it was to shield and protect these kids, and the fact that so many people were complicit and actually turned a blind eye on the abuse, making them active participants, is reprehensible.

Knowing what we know now, the Karolyis need to be dragged back here from whatever corner of the world they are hiding from, investigated, charged, prosecuted, and be forced to answer for their actions. There is no way in hell that they didn’t know what was going on. They set up that training center in the middle of nowhere with no easily accessible communication to the outside world on purpose. Dominique Moceanu has been steadfast and consistent about what happened to her there, and her parents were there. She lived at home. What about those poor kids whose parents were thousands of miles away? They bred so much fear in those girls that they were afraid to report anything to anyone. What about the other coaches that were afraid of the Karolyis and saw things and did nothing? Most, if not all, of those elite coaches knew that what was happening there wasn’t right. Are those the secrets that Mattie referred to in her statement? I am sad for all of these girls.

I just hope that the investigations continue. USA gymnastics needs to be entirely dismantled. It sounds like Valeri Liukin needs to be investigated at the very least and possibly removed. I will never see gymnastics the same way again. This time of year I usually get excited because SCAM cup is maybe 6-8 weeks away. I looked forward to bashing Tim Daggett and cursing every time I hear the phrase “Gymnastics 101.” It’s fun to be rolling my eyes at Nastia and her self-absorption. Now it just makes me sad. All I can think about is the personal hell that many of those girls live thru just to be there.

 

[ilovepaydays]

Very kind message from the Detroit Free Press - This warmed my heart that they did this.

Statement from Tim Daggett

 

[Fridge_Break]

Ugh, I am so sick to my stomach with this entire situation and how it went on for so long without anything happening to stop it. The statements by the victims are so heartbreaking, they all have my full support, love, prayers, good vibes, and positivity. I'm hoping that these last several days have helped with the healing process. These women have displayed such bravery and strength, and they are all going to do some truly wonderful things in this world.

I'm a graduate of Michigan State and quite frankly embarrassed with how they have handled everything. I've been a friend of the gymnastics team for several years.. I'd had a few conversations with Kathie (former gymnastics head coach) before any of the accusations went public -- one conversation was for at least an hour when I dropped by practice over homecoming. Nassar was in the gym that day and she pointed him out and kept talking about how wonderful he was. They obviously had a great friendship that dates way back, considering that she was approached by an athlete (ETA correction, Larissa Boyce, thank you @Erin!) in the late 90s about the abuse and did not report it.

I feel bad for the current gymnastics team and coaching staff, there have been a lot of people calling for the entire department to be wiped clean, however the current coaching staff consists of two coaches from Pittsburgh and a former MSU gymnast, none of whom have been accused of failing to report abuse, and all of whom have the support of the survivors, most notably Lindsey Lemke (current team captain who had to take a medical retirement over the summer). The team's facebook page has been completely slandered with negative comments, I just hope there aren't any disturbances at their home meet on Saturday, because they already have enough distractions to deal with.

Edited to include a link to Lindsey's message of support for the current coaching staff. (ETA again, for another tweet)

 

[judiz]

I read that Nassar had two daughters, I hope they weren’t victims either

 

[Yehudi]

In New York,private school administrators are somehow exempt from the mandatory reporting law, though there’s now a push to close that loophole after an independent investigation revealed administrators at a private school had ignored reports of inappropriate teacher-student relationships

 

[Garden Kitty]

USA Today is reporting that the MSU President will resign tomorrow.

 

[Erin]

They obviously had a great friendship that dates way back, considering that she was approached by an athlete (Rachel Denhollander) in the late 90s about the abuse and did not report it.

Sorry to nitpick, but just to clarify - Larissa Boyce and a second (anonymous) gymnast were the ones who reported the abuse to Kathy Klages in 1997. Denhollander was a club gymnast and never competed for MSU and didn't see Nassar until 2000. She did not report the abuse until 2016 because she didn't think anyone would believe her.

I agree that it must be tough on the current team. They were the visiting team at the Minnesota NCAA meet this past weekend and I have to say, it felt a little weird watching them after hearing the victim impact statements all week. I'm happy to report that no one was disrespectful at least. The gymnasts have not done anything wrong and don't deserve any hate.

Good to see that Simon is stepping down although far more heads need to roll at MSU.

At USAG, Debbie Van Horn, the trainer that Mattie Larson called out, is now gone.

Also, Fran Sepler, the "Fran" from Aly's book who had previously been on the USOC's SafeSport board is no longer on that board. Which is a good thing based on the way she handled the USAG investigation that shouldn't have been an investigation (should have been a go straight to the police)

 

[Fridge_Break]

Thanks for the correction @Erin! I have edited my post accordingly. There’s sadly too many names to keep track of

I am glad to hear there wasn’t any disrespectfulness at the meet. I watched online and was pleased with how the team performed despite the swirling issues that have been going on.

 

[RoseRed]

Jordyn Wieber's message to the judge.
And Simone Biles' message

She seems to have been really wonderful through the impact statements. The way she addressed all the women after they finished speaking - and especially what she said to Aly after her statement.

 

[Erin]

Thanks for the correction @Erin! I have edited my post accordingly. There’s sadly too many names to keep track of

There really are And these are only the names of people who came forward. I suspect there are at least twice as many victims who didn't come forward, if not more. I wouldn't be surprised if the real number of his victims was over 500.

 

[Karina1974]

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/...uary-2018-gallery-1.3730203?pmSlide=1.3777452

Very apropos.

 

[Debbie S]

There really are And these are only the names of people who came forward. I suspect there are at least twice as many victims who didn't come forward, if not more. I wouldn't be surprised if the real number of his victims was over 500.

I am afraid you are probably right. It appears that the names on the Detroit Free Press's tweeted list are the ones who appeared in court or had statements read on their behalf. There are plenty more (Simone Biles doesn't seem to be listed) who have come forward but did not take part in the court proceedings.

 

[Choupette]

Statement from Tim Daggett

I don't doubt Daggett's sincerity, but he happens to put his finger on what's been bugging me. The way the gymnasts were trying to please Marta, Marta's demeanor towards the gymnasts and the way she was portrayed in broadcast after broadcast: how could it seemed so obviously unhealthy and childish to me through the TV, but apparently not to all those involved in said broadcast production? I've never been able to stand listening to the Karolyi's in interviews, they never seemed truthful and caring to me. Had it never seemed abnormal that so much control was given to a single individual? How about Little Girls in Pretty Boxes over 20 years ago? How about Zmeskal, Moceanu, White, all suffering from overuse injuries so close to the Olympics? How about Elise Ray (one example among many) who was completely disgusted after her own Olympic experience? How about forcing so many high school students to attend so many camps, as if their schedule wasn't already extremely demanding? How is it normal that from before the Olympic Trials to after the Olympics, the women's Olympic team wasn't allowed to relax and spend time with their family so they could be rested and reach their physical and mental peak by the competition?

I've always been in awe that there were still girls remaining who had anything left by the Olympics. As successful as the US has been at the World Championships and Olympic Games, I'm not so sure that some great performances have not been missed. What has been demanded out of these girls has been inhumane, even not taking into account the sexual abuse.

No, I couldn't have imagined the magnitude of what Nassar did, but I'm an outsider and I've seen many extremely unhealthy signs for so long. Perhaps that is actually the issue. Perhaps once one becomes an insider, the definition of healthy and normal changes and it becomes harder to see?

This feels somewhat like Armstrong's doping scandal: no surprise that he was doping (to me at least, who had been following cycling more or less closely even before his success) and a bully to some extent, but really surprised that he turned out to also be such a destructive individual towards others and that bad of a liar. There were signs.