OT Artistic Gymnastics

XtremeWpg said:

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I think at this point... we just have to assume every WAG member who was treated under Dr.Larry Nassar has been affected. It’s whether or not they choose to speak up about it that confirms it (not saying that they owe anyone to speak up, they can choose not to, it must be their decision).

Also, at this point, the Karolyi’s ranch should be burnt down. I can’t believe USAG is still going to hold their training camps there... so many nightmares were created there at this point.

DancerDude0118 said:

I think at this point... we just have to assume every WAG member who was treated under Dr.Larry Nassar has been affected. It’s whether or not they choose to speak up about it that confirms it (not saying that they owe anyone to speak up, they can choose not to, it must be their decision).

Also, at this point, the Karolyi’s ranch should be burnt down. I can’t believe USAG is still going to hold their training camps there... so many nightmares were created there at this point.

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Not that I want to assume anyone's story, but I wonder about Nastia. A pedophile is a pedophile; a predator is a predator. But I wonder if Nassar would have controlled himself around her because of her dad. And would USA gymnastics have done more if Valeri was in papa bear mode to protect his own kid?

USA gym obviously effed up and I am glad the girls speaking up are calling that out. 50ish minor girls get sent to your camp once a month without parental supervision. YOU are responsible for their well being and keeping them safe. They failed miserably and while I am glad Nassar will rot in prison, changing staff members, pretending nothing happened, and tweeting support in response to girls' statements isn't ever going to make up for that.

Just F.Y.I., the sentencing hearing is being live streamed for the next 4 days here:
Live: Larry Nassar facing dozens of his assault victims - CBS News

It's going on right now.

ETA: Some of these statements are really painful to watch, poor women.

njallday said:

Not that I want to assume anyone's story, but I wonder about Nastia. A pedophile is a pedophile; a predator is a predator. But I wonder if Nassar would have controlled himself around her because of her dad. And would USA gymnastics have done more if Valeri was in papa bear mode to protect his own kid?

USA gym obviously effed up and I am glad the girls speaking up are calling that out. 50ish minor girls get sent to your camp once a month without parental supervision. YOU are responsible for their well being and keeping them safe. They failed miserably and while I am glad Nassar will rot in prison, changing staff members, pretending nothing happened, and tweeting support in response to girls' statements isn't ever going to make up for that.

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i feel like if nastia was affected by it, her dad would have spoke up a long time ago.. Im also wondering how many of the gymnasts parents knew all this time, or they are just now finding out when the girls have come forward.

UCFKnights07 said:

i feel like if nastia was affected by it, her dad would have spoke up a long time ago.. Im also wondering how many of the gymnasts parents knew all this time, or they are just now finding out when the girls have come forward.

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It's very possible that she was a victim and shamed into being quite and never told her dad. I don't want to speculate whether or not she is a victim, but if she was and her dad *did* know, and he was in a position to end all of the abuse right then... I, 1 hope she wasn't a victim, and 2 if she was, hope he didn't know. *IF* (big if) she was a victim and he knew, and he opted to protect the organization over his child and the countless girls who trusted him.. oh man.

Obviously Maggie's coach knew and the second she found out she did something about it. With the public tweets, I can't tell if Aimee Boorman knew about Simone, though obviously the coaches would not publicly say anything if the athlete had not come forward.

So much corruption. I can't imagine having to choose between my dream of making an olympic team or putting my foot down to not return to camp and continue being sexually abused. It's so insane.

At this point in time, we don’t know if anyone else was “silenced”.

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njallday said:

It's very possible that she was a victim and shamed into being quite and never told her dad. I don't want to speculate whether or not she is a victim, but if she was and her dad *did* know, and he was in a position to end all of the abuse right then... I, 1 hope she wasn't a victim, and 2 if she was, hope he didn't know. *IF* (big if) she was a victim and he knew, and he opted to protect the organization over his child and the countless girls who trusted him.. oh man.

Obviously Maggie's coach knew and the second she found out she did something about it. With the public tweets, I can't tell if Aimee Boorman knew about Simone, though obviously the coaches would not publicly say anything if the athlete had not come forward.

So much corruption. I can't imagine having to choose between my dream of making an olympic team or putting my foot down to not return to camp and continue being sexually abused. It's so insane.

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After watching a video of Valerie talking about why he never let another coach, coach her after she received a black eye in practice I doubt he would have swept that under the rug. He strikes me as the protective father who would be sitting on the porch with a shotgun waiting on her to come home after a date. Also she did a promo video with Deion Sanders before the 2008 olympics I believe and you could tell that he wasn’t one for letting her off alone with an adult male even with it being recorded. My dad is the same way. I got scorned for sitting on Santa lap for a picture in elementary school.

Also the other thing that bothers me but I’m unaware of the details. When did Makayla go to US gymnastics with her story? Before or after the coach reported it? She took a settlement to be quiet but if it was before the coach reported it. Her being who she was, it could have been blown wide open sooner. I’m not blaming just trying to understand the timeline.

icequeen said:

After watching a video of Valerie talking about why he never let another coach, coach her after she received a black eye in practice I doubt he would have swept that under the rug. He strikes me as the protective father who would be sitting on the porch with a shotgun waiting on her to come home after a date. Also she did a promo video with Deion Sanders before the 2008 olympics I believe and you could tell that he wasn’t one for letting her off alone with an adult male even with it being recorded. My dad is the same way. I got scorned for sitting on Santa lap for a picture in elementary school.

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Some of the statements given yesterday were absolutely heartbreaking, but there was more than one account of a parent being in the room, the abuse happening, and still no one noticing. No wonder some of these girls didn't identify as a victim or know they were abused. If it happened to me, I may have been uncomfortable and disliked what he did and felt violated, but if I were at the doctors office with my mom in the treatment room, it would definitely confuse me.

I'm glad Simone spoke up about having to return to the Ranch and hopefully that changes, but I feel so terribly for the hundreds before her who had to return month after month, back to the location of the abuse and some even right back into the hands of the abuser. It's so sad.

Day 2's sentencing hearing has begun, prepare the tissues:
Live: Larry Nassar being confronted by victims at sentencing hearing's second day - CBS News

Does anyone else listen to the Gymcastic podcast? They've had some really great insight and responses to what's going on with Nassar.

I just keep thinking....how mentally strong are these women that they can have this happen to them continuously for years, including the days of major competitions, and still perform the way that they do.

It breaks my heart 1000 times.

Last night, we had a 12 year old athlete go for a water break, and had some boys make lewd comments towards her. She came back in, told her coach immediately, and the coach went out, found the kids, told them why what they did wasn't okay, and had them apologize. I'm so proud of our kids for feeling confident enough to bring things to our attention. I'm also saddened that not everyone feels like they can do that.

Day 3 has started:
Live from court: Day 3 of Larry Nassar's sentencing hearing

Judge Aquilina is amazing. She is unbelievably compassionate and is giving each person the chance to speak their mind. She's a hero to these girls!