WASHINGTON – Congress needs to hold all of the Olympic governing bodies accountable for ignoring sexual abuse because the problem goes beyond USA Gymnastics and the conviction of gymnasts’ doctor, Larry Nassar, Olympic medalists from different sports told a Senate committee on Wednesday.
While Nassar’s case revealed a system that neglected cases of sexual abuse within USA Gymnastics, athletes of winter sports said they too have been victims of sexual abuse by coaches and a similar systematic flaw within the sport’s governing body.
“Olympic medalists including Jamie Dantzscher and Jordyn Wieber revealed a pattern of disbelief and disrespect by USA Gymnastics that was so similar to what I experienced from US Figure Skating that it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck,” figure skater Craig Maurizi said before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
Craig Maurizi also suffered sexual abuse from his coach, Richard Callahan, almost 40 years ago when he was 13 years old. When Maurizi finally gathered the courage to report the abuse 20 years later, he said, the US Figure Skating Association took no action against Callahan claiming “he took too long to report it.”
Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Jordyn Wieber, who was one of Nassar’s victims said Congress needs to take action to ensure all the Olympic committees no longer tolerate sexual abuse of athletes.
“I respectfully ask you to find out why the USOC did nothing for decades while reports of child sexual abuse in many Olympic sports were ignored,” Wieber said.
While Scott Blackmun has stepped down as the head of the USOC as a result of the pressure from the Nassar case, athletes said the change of leadership should not stop there.
“With USA Gymnastics, the ones that have the most interaction with the athletes are still there, it’s the same people in charge.” Wieber said. “I don’t think they’re innocent at all – there needs to be an entirely new staff in order for this to stop.”
For instance, the “advocates” and “psychologists” that existed within the governing bodies to support athletes were all funded by the USOC, the athletes noted.
“I was provided a psychologist by USA Gymnastics and later she turned out to be one of the people advocating for Nassar,” Dantzscher said. “This is someone who makes a lot of money from our sport.”
Speed skater Bridie Farrell added that Safe Sport should not act as the disciplinary board to investigate into allegations that athletes make.
“Safe Sport is a byproduct of the United States Olympic Committee…and that creates a trickle-down effect,” Farrell said.
Another factor that contributed to so many sexual abuse allegations getting ignored over the decades is the culture of silence and fear sports has created, according to the athletes.
“With gymnastics, there’s this culture of silence – if we speak out, we’re scared that it’ll affect our chances of getting on the Olympic team,” Wieber said.
Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., who convened the hearing, urged that law enforcement needs to be involved because “the system that surrounds athletes currently is insufficient.”
He said another hearing will be held May 22 to hear from more athletes, members of the USOC and officials at Michigan State University, where Nassar worked, to testify.
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