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SPORTS Friday 26 January 2018

Senators call for investigation of USOC, USA Gymnastics

By MATTHEW DALY to police. The House passed vestigation as to why there stitutional accountability” if ately. “The time to pass our
Associated Press a similar bill in May, but the was inaction, why there they don’t investigate the bill is now,” said Feinstein,
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen- legislative language is not was silence.” U.S. Olympic Committee who met last year with
ators from both parties identical. Shaheen made a similar and its member organiza- eight survivors of Nassar’s
are calling for creation of “The crimes committed point in calling for a special tions. abuse.
a select committee to in- “I made a promise to those
vestigate the U.S. Olympic women that I would act ...
Committee and USA Gym- to prevent what happened
nastics following the sen- to them from happening
tencing of a former sports to anyone else,” Feinstein
doctor who admitted mo- said.
lesting female gymnasts In addition to requiring
for years under the guise of claims of sexual abuse to
medical treatment. be reported to police, the
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, bill also bars athletes who
D-N.H., said the Senate are under 18 from being
should review how Dr. alone with an adult who
Larry Nassar was given un- is not their parent or legal
supervised access to the guardian.
gymnasts. Nassar was sen- The bill is supported by 270
tenced Wednesday to up individuals and organiza-
to 175 years in prison for tions, including the Na-
sexually abusing more than tional Center for Missing
150 women and girls over and Exploited Children,
25 years. the American Academy of
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, also Pediatrics, the Children’s
backed the special com- Advocacy Institute and
mittee, saying that “while dozens of former Olympic
some justice has finally gymnasts and other ath-
been served, there are a In this Jan. 19, 2018, file photo, Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman gives her victim impact letes, Feinstein said.
great deal of questions that statement in Lansing, Mich., during the fourth day of sentencing for former sports doctor Larry Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Ind.,
still remain” about how Nas- Nassar, who pled guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault. Associated Press the lead sponsor of the
sar was able to continue his House bill, said the Olym-
abuse for so many years. against these young wom- Senate committee. “The USOC is a federally pic community had clearly
The senators’ request en are atrocious and rattle “Larry Nassar will spend a chartered institution and failed to protect its athletes
comes as House leaders us all to the core,” House lifetime in prison, but enor- its athletes compete un- and must do better. Legis-
prepare to take up Senate- Speaker Paul Ryan said in mous disturbing questions der the American flag, so lation is important, “not only
passed legislation intended a statement. “The fact that remain as to how he was the Senate has a clear re- to provide victims with the
to prevent predators from it went unreported to law able to freely abuse young sponsibility to expand this justice denied to them for
abusing young athletes. enforcement is intolerable girls for decades,” she said. investigation beyond the so long, but also to protect
The bill, set for a vote Mon- — and it’s a huge wake-up Nassar’s victims “deserve narrow criminal charges future generations of Olym-
day, would require ama- call.” answers to these ques- adjudicated in Michigan,” pic hopefuls,” she said.
teur sports groups recog- In sentencing Nassar to tions,” Shaheen said, add- Shaheen said. Meanwhile, Rep. Mike
nized by the U.S. Olympic 40 to 175 years in prison, ing that lawmakers would The investigation should in- Bishop, R-Mich., requested
Committee to promptly re- Judge Rosemarie Aquilina be putting other young clude subpoena power for a separate investigation
port claims of sexual abuse called for “a massive in- athletes at risk “without in- lawmakers to compel am- by the House Oversight
ateur sports organizations and Government Reform
to produce relevant docu- Committee. Bishop’s dis-
ments and internal com- trict includes Michigan
munications, she said. State University, where Nas-
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D- sar worked when much of
Calif., the lead sponsor of the abuse took place at
the Senate bill, said Con- a campus clinic or at his
gress needs to act immedi- home basement.q