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

[Artistic Skaters]

I watched the video of the judge reading & responding to Nassar's letter. He's so sneaky you almost have to wonder if he wrote it to elicit some kind of inappropriate response from her so he can later say there was bias with his sentencing because of it. However, she clearly addressed the two main points - his plea agreement specifies he will hear all of the victim testimonies & the correct procedures to follow to obtain mental health services.

His plea agreement states the victim testimony will include 125 victims, so he knew to expect a lot of speakers when he took the plea. Which of the 125 victims does he not want to hear? The first one whose parents didn't believe her for years, but then her father took his life after realizing it had actually happened? Or the mother with the daughter who committed suicide?

 

[misskarne]

I believe they are in Romania and have been since Rio.

Cowards...

 

[ilovepaydays]

Gymcastic has tweeted a link to today’s live stream of today’s victim impact statements.

Jordyn Wieber and Aly Raisman are in the courtroom today.

The number of total victim impact statements has been updated to 120.

UPDATE: Jordyn Wieber’s statement at Nassar sentencing (May be difficult to be able to handle listening to - but she also goes after USA Gymnastics )

 

[danafan]

Wow Wieber is so brave, as are all the women of course - but after her mother had publicly defended Nassar initially....

http://www.intlgymnast.com/index.ph...o-suffer-sexual-abuse&catid=2:news&Itemid=166

 

[Sylvia]

Wow Wieber is so brave, as are all the women of course - but after her mother had publicly defended Nassar initially....

http://www.intlgymnast.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4988:wieber-too-michigan-gymnast-to-confront-nassar-as-fourth-member-of-fierce-five-to-suffer-sexual-abuse&catid=2:news&Itemid=166

From the end:

Wieber stated that she did not want the media to focus on her story.

"I am an Olympian, but I am also one of more than 140 women," she said. "Our pain is all the same."

The number of women who will speak has grown to 117 and is expected to last through next Tuesday.

 

[ilovepaydays]

Aly Raisman’s statement at Nassar sentencing

Watched this during my lunch break. For the first time in my life, I’m crying at work.

 

[Tesla]

Jesus, I'm trying not to cry at work. I can't watch but I read the article about Jordyn.

 

[Erin]

I had a feeling when more names were being added to the list of women who wanted victim impact statements read that at least one of them would be a big name and sadly, I'm not surprised that Jordyn is one of Nassar's victims especially given that she trained at Twistars.

Aly's statement had me in tears too. When she had said she wouldn't be there, I originally hoped that it would be her mom in her place, who I knew would be awesome, just as Gina Nichols was. But as more women were changing their minds about making statements and changing their minds about being anonymous, a part of me held out a hope that maybe Aly would also change her mind and decide to show up and I'm glad she did.

I'm also incredibly impressed by how many young victims have had the courage to speak and speak publicly. 17, 16, and even 15 year-olds have faced down Larry and have not been afraid of him or of the media attention.

The list is now up to 120 women who want to make statements. I'm assuming the list includes some women who weren't even among the original 125 and have only now decided to come forward at all. It will be interesting to see how many more will be added by the time this is over. They are now thinking it will go until possibly Tuesday. Rachael Denhollendar is scheduled to speak last.

 

[her grace]

I don't think this article has been shared here yet:

Marcia Federick, first U.S. gymnastics world champion, shares story of abuse

Frederick won the world title on bars in 1978. USAG has had a problem with abuse from the dawn of time. A quote in the article from 1984 Olympian Kathy Johnson Clarke:

“If we don’t at some point connect the dots to say, ‘You know what, this goes so far back,’ it’s going to keep going on in the future.”

Wieber's and Raisman's statements were powerful. And Nassar with his pity-play letter is vile, disgusting.

 

[Aceon6]

Thanks for posting @her grace

Frankly, this isn't about sex abuse anymore. It's about power and how people use power. We don't actively teach kids how to use power constructively. It's rare that someone pulls the star basketball player aside and helps him/her navigate all the responsibility of being a leader. We don't actively teach kids how to be followers, either. If we don't start teaching young people how to identify and use power, how to know when it's being abused, and how to get help, this will just keep happening. I can't help thinking about the hazing deaths in this context.

 

[clairecloutier]

I think the USFSA gymnasts were pretty clear on the power structure they were in. Which was basically--that they had no power. That the adults who were picking the Oly team and picking gymnasts for camp spots and running USAG had all the power.

It's the nature of the power structure that needs to change, not the kids' awareness of it. There needs to be reporting avenues (that actually get listened to) that are separate from the committees responsible for making team and camp and funding selections.

 

[Willin]

Based on @clairecloutier 's point, does anyone know if USAG has athlete representatives? USFSA doesn't tend to listen to them much, but they do do a very good job of ensuring that they have athletes or at least recent former athletes in the room when decisions are made - including the Olympic team. Not only that, but athletes of all levels are allowed to vote for their representatives. I believe for Synchro 10 athletes are voted in to be on the athlete advisory committee for that discipline. The ISU has also recently started to include athletes in their decision making process.

 

[ilovepaydays]

Are you kidding me?!

Seriously, they can’t quickly get the facilities at the USOC in Colorado Springs ready for this? That’s where the men’s program is headquartered.

 

[floskate]

I just have so much respect for all these young women and the courage they are showing. But wow how strong is Aly Raisman? Crazy respect for that powerful statement.

 

[her grace]

Based on @clairecloutier 's point, does anyone know if USAG has athlete representatives? USFSA doesn't tend to listen to them much, but they do do a very good job of ensuring that they have athletes or at least recent former athletes in the room when decisions are made - including the Olympic team. Not only that, but athletes of all levels are allowed to vote for their representatives. I believe for Synchro 10 athletes are voted in to be on the athlete advisory committee for that discipline. The ISU has also recently started to include athletes in their decision making process.

Yes, USAG has athlete representatives. Alicia Sacramone was an athlete rep last year; I don't know if she's taken time off since having her baby. Terin Humphrey was an athlete representative on the selection committee, but let's be real: that's a committee in name only. Marta ran the women's program with an iron fist.

ETA: Here's a 2016 podcast interview with Sacramone; go to the 46.55 mark where she discusses her job as an athlete rep.

 

[Willin]

@ilovepaydays While it may seem easy, one week is not enough time to do all of that, especially with an Olympics about to occur.
You must account for the fact that they need to get their staff and coaches there, ensure that there's enough available rooms to house the athletes, adjust the schedule of the training camp based on the availability of the facilities and equipment (ie. the weight room, treadmills/ellipticals/track, gymnastics equipment), availability of staff members, adjust the budget based on the change in facilities, etc. I thought they'd cancel the camp outright since they couldn't move it, but I guess not...

 

[nickp]

Aly Raisman needs to be the president for USA Gymnastics

 

[Rob]

Aly is a natural for a future in activism, advocacy, or politics.

 

[Jimena]

So Kyla Ross is the only one from the 2012 team who hasn't come forward?

I honestly think we have to rethink the sport. It's not normal for children to be in those types of environments. It's abusive in and of itself and it's exploitative. No one was watching out for these girls. Nobody.

 

[judiz]

One has to wonder how many more victims there are who are still afraid to come forward.

 

[ilovepaydays]

So Kyla Ross is the only one from the 2012 team who hasn't come forward?

I think so - and Laurie and Madison are the only ones from the 2016 team. But I don’t think anyone from the 2008 team had come forward.

 

[Erin]

I'm assuming there are many victims who have not come forward and may never come forward. And that's their right. We will probably never know the true extent of his crimes.

On the topic of athlete reps and USAG, yes they have them but there are a lot of problems with them in practice:
1) Athlete reps sit on selection committees. The recent Daniels report (an independent investigation that USAG had done) made 70 recommendations and one of them was to separate the athlete rep from the selection committee because having the rep on the selection committee could discourage gymnasts from raising concerns to the rep since they would be worried that it could affect their selection for a competition.
2) In the most recent selection of the athlete rep, which is supposed to be an election by the athletes, Lynn Raisman alleges that the athletes were told by USAG who to vote for:
https://mobile.twitter.com/lynnrais...137?ref_src=twcamp^share|twsrc^ios|twgr^other
3) There is a rumor that the current athlete rep (Ivana Hong) was/is under investigation at Stanford for mistreating other athletes. If true, that is really problematic.

 

[HeatherC]

I've been trying to find words to describe how I feel about all the things I've watched and read about the survivor statements this week but I keep coming up empty because my heart is in a thousand pieces. I've watched gymnastics since I was a little girl (and did it for a time although I was more involved in dance classes because I was better at those) and it breaks me completely to know the horrors that these girls have gone through over the years. These young women are some of the bravest and most amazing people I've ever seen. For them to go through everything that they did and be able to stand there in front of their abuser and tell him exactly how they feel is beyond incredible. I'm in awe.

I've long admired Aly both as a gymnast and as a leader but my admiration has jumped leaps and bounds after seeing the way she's been handling this situation. Her statement today was so powerful (I can't even watch all of it because it makes me cry so much) and I REALLY hope that the higher ups listen to her. She's absolutely right. Things have to change, big time, so the sport that they all love will be safe for the young gymnasts coming up behind them.

BTW-Have any gymnasts who trained at WOGA been involved in the statements this week? That doesn't seem like a coincidence to me. Maybe it's naive for me to think this but I can't help hoping that Valeri being the one in charge now is a very good thing since it seems like their club did things right by protecting their gymnasts and keeping monsters like that asshat in MI away from them.

 

[Debbie S]

Maybe it's naive for me to think this but I can't help hoping that Valeri being the one in charge now is a very good thing since it seems like their club did things right by protecting their gymnasts and keeping monsters like that asshat in MI away from them.

Even if the WOGA gymnasts never saw Nassar outside of Team USA activities, it sounds like no gymnast was safe from Nassar's abuse at the training camps and comps. I'm thinking that with Valeri now being the team coordinator (hopefully, he will be a good change...anyone other than Marta would be good), Nastia probably doesn't want to criticize USA Gym publicly (has she tweeted anything?), and Carly may just be focused on her family at the moment.

In case anyone hasn't seen this, Meryl Davis has tweeted her support:

I want to take a moment to acknowledge the strength of the women of USA gymnastics in coming forward regarding a very difficult situation. To speak about such a personal trauma cannot possibly be easy. Thank you for your bravery. Surely, your voices will create much needed change

 

[Willin]

I'm assuming there are many victims who have not come forward and may never come forward. And that's their right. We will probably never know the true extent of his crimes.

On the topic of athlete reps and USAG, yes they have them but there are a lot of problems with them in practice:
1) Athlete reps sit on selection committees. The recent Daniels report (an independent investigation that USAG had done) made 70 recommendations and one of them was to separate the athlete rep from the selection committee because having the rep on the selection committee could discourage gymnasts from raising concerns to the rep since they would be worried that it could affect their selection for a competition.

Interesting point here. I think USFSA has different athlete reps for different committees and disciplines, but I think only a couple of them work on the selection committee. I think there's 10 for each discipline including synchro, so that's 40 athlete reps total (If TOI is included in this number, it's 50 total). Did USAG only have one athlete representative? That's absurd! USAG could've easily picked the person they know is most in line with their agenda.

2) In the most recent selection of the athlete rep, which is supposed to be an election by the athletes, Lynn Raisman alleges that the athletes were told by USAG who to vote for:
https://mobile.twitter.com/lynnraisman/status/944922571505627137?ref_src=twcamp^share|twsrc^ios|twgr^other
3) There is a rumor that the current athlete rep (Ivana Hong) was/is under investigation at Stanford for mistreating other athletes. If true, that is really problematic.

If number two is true, it does seem like USAG was picking athletes in line with their agenda instead of who actually represents the opinions of the athletes. Admittedly, USFSA generally has a pool of about 20-30 people to vote for in each discipline so it's possible they only ask certain individuals to apply (I don't remember getting any applications - so maybe it's only Junior/Senior competitors on international teams? Usually the majority that are selected are from Hayden or Miami), but there's still a selection you can choose from and a variety that end up on the committee.

As for number three, it's not like collegiate athletes always have the best reputation. Certainly Stanford Swimming has an awful reputation (I think the number of their swimmers accused of rape is up to two or three?). Usually it's the men's sports with the worst reputations - The Fulmer Cup exists for a reason - but I wouldn't doubt some female athletes are equally as entitled. The theory is that many of the athletes that end up going to DI schools are always treated specially because they are the best. They are allowed to get away with awful things (at my public high school rape, plagiarism, sexual harassment, and battery of an LGBT student) because the school/coaches don't want to dare punish the school's star athlete. Certainly the majority remain humble, but some take full advantage of that leeway they're given - even in sports that aren't a big deal.
This doesn't just happen at high schools, but also at private training centers - and it's not only for Varsity sports but also for club sports. Some girls from small market synchro teams start being the most vocal at hating on those same small market teams as soon as they get on a top Collegiate or Senior team.

They really should have someone that the athletes like, and is a top athlete. USFSA has a good mix of top athletes, collegiate athletes, and retired ones so they get good representation of different skating communities. Like I said, some of those athletes are meanspirited, but a lot more are nice. One synchro athlete rep in particular is known to go to small synchro markets and help those teams grow/get more successful. I believe she was one of the athletes sent to Asia to help grow the sport in China and Korea.

 

[HeatherC]

Even if the WOGA gymnasts never saw Nassar outside of Team USA activities, it sounds like no gymnast was safe from Nassar's abuse at the training camps and comps. I'm thinking that with Valeri now being the team coordinator (hopefully, he will be a good change...anyone other than Marta would be good), Nastia probably doesn't want to criticize USA Gym publicly (has she tweeted anything?), and Carly may just be focused on her family at the moment.

In case anyone hasn't seen this, Meryl Davis has tweeted her support:

LOVE what Meryl tweeted today.

Nastia and Carly both tweeted support for all the ladies who have spoken out this week. Nastia has been tweeting every so often but just today Carly mentioned that she was spared being part of the abuse and was fully in support of the ladies. Let me see if I can find her tweet...

@CarlyPatterson 5h5 hours ago The #NassarSentencing has been tough to watch. I’m fortunate to have been spared from his horrible abuse, but many of his victims are close friends. Words can’t express my admiration for the strength it must have taken to tell their stories. I love y’all.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

I'm wondering if even one member of the USAG board will take to heart the statement by Raisman & resign so they can start changing the culture of the cover-ups. My guess is no, but I'm still hoping.

 

[HeatherC]

I just found this letter from Nastia that was posted on her website today and it does give me some hope that some big time changes can happen. She's very eloquent and articulate about being part of the changes to make gymnastics better.

Letter: http://nastialiukin.com/gymnasticscommunity/

An excerpt:

My hope is this is the beginning of positive change. I will do everything in my power to help our next generation never have to go through what my teammates went through. I, like so many others, believe many things could have been handled differently by USA Gymnastics. Many have written me asking why I continue to support them. Please believe me when I say I do NOT support the things I have read about or heard about. I do however support the future of gymnastics as a whole. I hope young women like Morgan, Ragan, Riley, Maile, and so many others will one day feel safe within the sport, and can continue striving to achieve their own dreams. I am here for not just these young athletes but for all young women who want and deserve to feel and to be safe.

I love this part:

This letter is also a commitment from me, to help create positive change and a brighter future. As a small first step, I have requested that all proceeds (ticket sales, merchandise sales, and any and all other revenue) from the Nastia Liukin Cup this March will be donated to an organization which supports victims of sexual abuse. I am currently doing my due diligence to find the right organization.

I'm actually attending this event in March and will gladly purchase something there to help out.

 

[Debbie S]

Admittedly, USFSA generally has a pool of about 20-30 people to vote for in each discipline so it's possible they only ask certain individuals to apply (I don't remember getting any applications - so maybe it's only Junior/Senior competitors on international teams? Usually the majority that are selected are from Hayden or Miami), but there's still a selection you can choose from and a variety that end up on the committee.

I've gotten a few mass e-mails from USFS about voting for athlete reps "if you meet the definition of athlete" (I could go on about how they need to segment their e-mails....) but have never received a ballot. I assume that you have to be at a certain level both test and competition-wise in order to vote for athlete reps, which I don't have a problem with, but I do think that adult skaters should be able to vote for the Adult Committee reps (and no, I'm not suggesting anything is wrong with those who currently serve, and I've certainly served in plenty of thankless volunteer jobs where no one else stepped up...but I feel like the adult skating community should have some sort of say in its reps), but overall, I think USFS does a good job in involving the elite athletes - there are reps on almost every committee, including the selection committee, and they attend Governing Council. I don't know how much their opinions are considered and how much communication takes place between the athlete reps and those they represent, but at least the representation is there and officially, the athletes have a voice.

And overall, they have more control over their training and health than the gymnasts have had - they can see whichever docs they want, no one seems to be watching over their food intake at comps, and they aren't compelled to attend training camps, outside of 1 per year (Champs Camp or the ISP camp for those in ISP not included in Champs Camp), and outside of program monitoring and feedback, most of the activities seem to be off-ice - meetings and team bonding stuff. And there is a pretty strict procedure in place (although it's taken a long time to get the PSA and USFS on the same page) when inappropriate behavior by a coach is reported.

Nastia and Carly both tweeted support for all the ladies who have spoken out this week. Nastia has been tweeting every so often but just today Carly mentioned that she was spared being part of the abuse and was fully in support of the ladies.

Thanks for sharing. It's good to know that at least Carly was spared the abuse. And her baby is adorable.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

*** USA Gymnastics facing uncertain future as sport's governing body :
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/oly...cing-uncertain-future-as-sport-s-12511479.php