The Internet nearly broke down when the Olympic gold medalist, Simone Biles came forward with her story of how she was se*ually abused by the former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. Those who followed up with the news know very well who Larry Nassar is. But for those who aren’t familiar, let’s find out!
Larry Nassar is an American convicted sex offender and serial child molester, who formally worked as a sports medicine physician. He worked in the United States women’s national gymnastics medical team for 18 years. And for 18 years, he took advantage of hundreds of young athletes using his power.
Currently, Nassar is serving 175 years in prison for his conviction in state as well as federal courts. He pledged guilty for se*ually assaulting athletes during his time served at Michigan State University and the USA Gymnastics. He also pledged guilty of processing child pornography, separately.
In 2018, victim impact statements were recorded, and several athletes came forward to testify that over the course that Nassar worked with USA Gymnastics and Michigan University, he se*ually abused and how it was unreported when they talked to coaches and athletic trainers.
What happened with Simone Biles in the USA Gymnastics?
Simone Biles was among the most latest athletes who came forward with their story of se*ual abuse by the former Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. It was after the 2016 Rio Olympics where Biles won four gold medals, that she posted a statement on X (formally known as Twitter), describing her abuse.
Feelings… 💭 #MeToo pic.twitter.com/ICiu0FCa0n
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) January 15, 2018
She said, “Most of you know me as a happy, giggly, and energetic girl. But lately, I’ve felt a bit broken, and the more I try to shut off the voice in my head the louder it screams.”
Feelings… 💭 #MeToo pic.twitter.com/ICiu0FCa0n
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) January 15, 2018
She continued, “I am not afraid to tell my story anymore. I too am one of the many survivors that was se*ually abused by Larry Nassar. Please believe me when I say it was a lot harder to first speak those words out loud than it is now to put them on paper. There are many reasons that I have been reluctant to share my story, but I know now it is not my fault.”
Biles captioned her X post with the hashtag, ‘#metoo.’ She shared that for too long she blamed herself for being too naive and wondered if it was her fault.
But she was just a 20-year-old and in no way, it could have been her fault. As she realized that, she held Nassar, USAG, and others involved, responsible for it to happen. Apart from Biles, many of her USA teammates also came forward, including prominent athletes like Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, and McKayla Maroney. It was because of them only that she gained the courage to come forward with her story.