Probably not a good idea for holiday viewing. You might want something lighter. But, a definite “must see.” Very well done exposure of former Olympic gymnastics team and MSU doctor Larry Nassar and his enablers, the officials of USA Gymnastics and the Karolyis. MSU is touched only lightly in the video.
Nassar is the convicted criminal in this, but IMO former USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny should be in an adjoining cell. When Penny got a complaint in June 2015 from “Athlete A” and her coach that Nassar had sexually molested her at Karolyis’ ranch, he called the Karolyis and put the complaint in a file in the bottom of his desk. Neither he nor the Karolyis called the authorities, as was required by law. Then, apparently, they conspired to keep Athlete A off of the 2016 Olympic team. Ms. Karolyi picked the team. Athlete A was ranked 6th in the world in the All-Around. By all reports, she performed very well at the trials. She wasn’t named to the 9-woman squad.
In retrospect, this was something that would have been so easy to prevent. The first complaint against Nassar went back to 2003. There now are over 500 former and present gymnasts and MSU female athletes who have made complaints. When the first complaint was made in 2003, they simply should have required that no medical treatment or examination be conducted except in the presence of a female coach or other observer. Most of the female gymnasts have their own coaches. Athlete A’s coach was in Houston at the complex with her when she was molested, but was not allowed in the treatment room.
The powers that ran USA Gymnastics were so concerned with winning that they allowed physical and mental abuse of young female gymnasts to be routinely and openly conducted by the Karolyis and turned an equally blind eye to Nassar sexually abusing them. They tried to keep everything secret to protect their then squeaky clean image. They apparently paid millions to Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney to settle claims she threatened to bring of sexual abuse in return for her signing a non-disclosure agreement. Like a former PSU coach, winning and image were more important than protecting minors. But, this was on a much larger scale.
Nassar will spend the rest of his life in prison. But, the only other participant currently facing criminal charges is Penny — and only for tampering with evidence. As an attorney, I believe Penny and the Karolyis could be charged and convicted as accessories before the fact for every count of sexual abuse committed by Nassar after the complaint of Athlete A was made. Their failure to act, as required by law and their fiduciary responsibilities to minors, directly enabled him to commit all subsequent abuses.
As for USA Gymnastics, while it now has banned Penny for life, it apparently hasn’t learned a thing. It offered a settlement in a civil case brought by a number of the abuse survivors in which payment was predicated upon them all releasing Penny and the Karolyis from all liability. Even now, it is trying to protect the guilty.
Nassar is the convicted criminal in this, but IMO former USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny should be in an adjoining cell. When Penny got a complaint in June 2015 from “Athlete A” and her coach that Nassar had sexually molested her at Karolyis’ ranch, he called the Karolyis and put the complaint in a file in the bottom of his desk. Neither he nor the Karolyis called the authorities, as was required by law. Then, apparently, they conspired to keep Athlete A off of the 2016 Olympic team. Ms. Karolyi picked the team. Athlete A was ranked 6th in the world in the All-Around. By all reports, she performed very well at the trials. She wasn’t named to the 9-woman squad.
In retrospect, this was something that would have been so easy to prevent. The first complaint against Nassar went back to 2003. There now are over 500 former and present gymnasts and MSU female athletes who have made complaints. When the first complaint was made in 2003, they simply should have required that no medical treatment or examination be conducted except in the presence of a female coach or other observer. Most of the female gymnasts have their own coaches. Athlete A’s coach was in Houston at the complex with her when she was molested, but was not allowed in the treatment room.
The powers that ran USA Gymnastics were so concerned with winning that they allowed physical and mental abuse of young female gymnasts to be routinely and openly conducted by the Karolyis and turned an equally blind eye to Nassar sexually abusing them. They tried to keep everything secret to protect their then squeaky clean image. They apparently paid millions to Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney to settle claims she threatened to bring of sexual abuse in return for her signing a non-disclosure agreement. Like a former PSU coach, winning and image were more important than protecting minors. But, this was on a much larger scale.
Nassar will spend the rest of his life in prison. But, the only other participant currently facing criminal charges is Penny — and only for tampering with evidence. As an attorney, I believe Penny and the Karolyis could be charged and convicted as accessories before the fact for every count of sexual abuse committed by Nassar after the complaint of Athlete A was made. Their failure to act, as required by law and their fiduciary responsibilities to minors, directly enabled him to commit all subsequent abuses.
As for USA Gymnastics, while it now has banned Penny for life, it apparently hasn’t learned a thing. It offered a settlement in a civil case brought by a number of the abuse survivors in which payment was predicated upon them all releasing Penny and the Karolyis from all liability. Even now, it is trying to protect the guilty.
