On Sept. 15, 2021, four USA gymnasts testified to the United States Congress on the mishandled FBI investigation into the sexual abuse allegations against Larry Nassar, the former team doctor for USA Gymnastics (USAG). These four women include Olympic Gold Medalists Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, and World Championship Gold Medalist Maggie Nichols. These women testified about their own sexual abuse by Nassar, along with being ignored and lied to by the FBI after reporting their abuse.
In early 2018, Nassar was charged with receiving child pornography, possession of child pornography, and tampering with evidence at the federal level, along with first-degree criminal sexual conduct at the state level. Biles, Maroney, Raisman, and Nichols are just four of over 100 confirmed victims during Nassar’s nearly four-decade career.
McKayla Maroney testified before congress that in 2015, the FBI didn’t report her abuse after telling her story in graphic detail to an FBI agent. Additionally, they fabricated her story and dismissed her trauma.
Maroney: “At only 15 years-old, I began crying at the memory over the phone, and there was just dead silence. I was so shocked at the agent’s silence and disregard for my trauma. After that minute of silence he asked, is that all?”
Maroney: “When they eventually documented my report 17 months later, they made entirely false claims about what I said…”
Simone Biles shared a similar story of Nassar’s sexual abuse as well as the lack of proper regulations from USAG and the FBI. Additionally, she stated that the “USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) knew that I was abused by their official team doctor, long before I was ever made aware of their knowledge.” She expresses her frustration and disappointment at the different organizations that swept the abuse under the rug, as well as fear that abuse will continue if situations like this don’t get handled properly.
Biles: “Nassar is where he belongs, but those who enabled him deserve to be held accountable. If they are not, I am convinced that this will continue to happen to others across Olympic sports.”
The testimony of Maggie Nichols speaks to the courage it takes for survivors to speak out on their abuse. She makes clear that the abuse isn’t to some abstract figure and asks to be seen as herself, not a statistic. Nichols shares her unique experience in contrast with the three Olympians beside her.
Nichols: “I was named as Gymnast 2 in the Office of Inspector General’s report and previously identified as Athlete A by USA Gymnastics. I want everyone to know that this did not happen to Gymnast 2 or to Athlete A. It happened to me, Maggie Nichols.”
Nichols: “My Olympic dreams ended in the summer of 2015, when my coach and I reported Larry Nassar’s abuse to USAG leadership…I reported my abuse to USA Gymnastics over six years ago, and still, my family and I have received few answers, and have even more questions about how this was allowed to occur and why dozens of other little girls and women at Michigan State had to be abused after I reported.”
Aly Raisman asked the questions that a survivor of abuse should never have to ask about the handling of their trauma. She emphasized the lack of support from USAG and the USOPC after they were made aware of Nassar’s abuse over years of being the team doctor.
Raisman: “Why are we left to guess why USAG and USOPC deliberately ignored reported abuse? Was it to protect the value of its sponsorships? The LA28 bid? Their own jobs? To avoid criminal liability? Perhaps, but why must we speculate when the facts are obtainable, and the stakes are so high?”
The testimonies of Maroney, Biles, Nichols, and Raisman display the sheer courage these women had to speak out on not only their trauma, but also the disrespect they have faced from the FBI and other organizations that were aware of the situations at hand. They hope that by testifying before congress on live television, there is an attitude shift in how these cases are treated, while also holding accountable the organizations that swept their trauma under the rug for years. Additionally, they emphasized the importance of preventing further sexual abuse in sports and protecting vulnerable athletes from predators.
The Advocates Program at St. Lawrence University hosted “Purple Week” from Oct. 17 to Oct. 24 to spread awareness for sexual assault and domestic abuse. Purple Week included resources for the SLU community as well as events to engage with the mental wellbeing of survivors and allies. University President Kate Morris, along with Vice President and Dean of Student Life Hagi Bradley have spoken out condemning sexual assault at SLU and are open to providing more support to the SLU community in hopes of changing the culture on campus. Madi Amico ‘22, a trained Advocate on Campus, said that Purple Week is a time to recognize and applaud these women’s bravery.
“It’s also time to realize that survivors shouldn’t be the ones who have to stand up to this injustice,” she said. “We need to begin institutionally protecting women from sexual assault both at a national level and here at SLU.”