Senators to investigate USA Gymnastics and Olympic committee after Larry Nasser sex abuse conviction
The US Olympic Committee may have known about his crimes as far back as 2015
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Your support makes all the difference.A bipartisan group of Senators has called for an investigation into the US Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics after former team doctor Larry Nasser was convicted of several counts of sex abuse.
A special committee is set to be established to carry out the investigation after allegations from young and aspiring athletes that the groups knew about the abuse but ignored it.
Senator Joni Ernst said the time has come to "put an end to this type of outrageous abuse” and “stand up for athletes."
The announcement comes on the heels of legislation passed by the full Congress that would require governing bodies of amateur athletes to immediately report any allegations of abuse to police and improve oversight of gyms, the organisations, and coaches involved in the sport.
Nasser abused more than 265 young women and girls, often under the guise of sport-related medical care. He has been sentenced to up to 125 years in prison.
Some of the survivors of his abuse include the US gymnastics gold medalists Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney.
Last week, Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Ms Ernst called on USOC CEO Scott Blackmun to resign from his post after it was discovered he may have heard about the abuse allegations as early as September 2015 from concerned parents, but did not take measures to address the problem.
Senator Tim Scott said the timing of the announcement just days before the Winter Olympics was not coincidental.
He said USA Gymnastics "clearly failed our athletes.”
"We know that similar things have happened across the country, that's why its so important that we shine the light of day on this in terms of this committee and this investigation," said Senator Debbie Stabenow.
Ms Raisman said during her victim impact statement, read in front of Nasser in the courtroom: “Neither USA Gymnastics nor the USOC have reached out to express sympathy or even offer support. Not even to ask, how did this happen? What do you think we can do to help? Why have I and others here probably not heard anything from the leadership from the USOC? Why has the United States Olympic Committee been silent? Why isn’t the USOC here right now?”
Ms Shaheen said in a statement that “because the U.S. Olympic Committee operates under a federal charter and its athletes compete under the American flag, the Senate has a responsibility to deliver answers and accountability” to answer the many questions that remain regarding who knew what and when.
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