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sports Diahuebs 16 september 2021

Biles: FBI turned ‘blind eye’ to reports of gymnasts’ abuse

(AP) — Olympic gold FBI accountable after mul-
medalist Simone Biles tiple missteps in investigating
told Congress in force- the case, including the delays
ful testimony Wednesday that allowed the now-impris-
that federal law enforce- oned Nassar to abuse other
ment and gymnastics offi- young gymnasts. At least 40
cials turned a “blind eye” girls and women said they
to USA Gymnastics team were molested after the FBI
doctor Larry Nassar’s sex- had been made aware of al-
ual abuse of her and hun- legations against Nassar in
dreds of other women. 2015.
Biles told the Senate Judicia- An internal investigation by
ry Committee that “enough the Justice Department re-
is enough” as she and three leased in July said that the
other U.S. gymnasts spoke FBI made fundamental er-
in stark emotional terms rors in the probe and did not
about the lasting toll Nassar’s treat the case with the “ut-
crimes have taken on their most seriousness” after USA
lives. In response, FBI Direc- Gymnastics first reported
tor Christopher Wray said he the allegations to the FBI’s
was “deeply and profoundly field office in Indianapolis in
sorry” for delays in Nassar’s 2015. The FBI has acknowl-
prosecution and the pain it edged its own conduct was
caused. inexcusable. and the other gymnasts as hands of Nassar played a fac- and the organization’s then-
they delayed the probe. tor in her decision to opt out president, Stephen Penny,
The four-time Olympic gold Wray blasted his own agents of several competitions. At reported the allegations to
medalist and five-time world who failed to appropriately “I think for so long all of the hearing, she said she had the FBI’s field office in In-
champion — widely consid- respond to the complaints us questioned, just because wanted her presence in To- dianapolis. But it was months
ered to be the greatest gym- and made a promise to the someone else wasn’t fully kyo “to help maintain a con- before the bureau opened a
nast of all time — said that victims that he was commit- validating us, that we doubt- nection” between the failures formal investigation.
she “can imagine no place ted to “make damn sure ev- ed what happened to us,” of officials and the Olympic
that I would be less comfort- erybody at the FBI remem- Maroney said. “And I think competition, but that “has The watchdog investigation
able right now than sitting bers what happened here” that makes the healing pro- proven to be an exception- found that when the FBI’s
here in front of you.” She and that it never happens cess take longer.” ally difficult burden for me Indianapolis field office’s
declared herself a survivor of again. to carry.” handling of the matter came
sexual abuse. Biles and Maroney were under scrutiny, officials there
A supervisory FBI agent who joined by Aly Raisman, who Democratic and Republican did not take any responsibil-
“I blame Larry Nassar and I had failed to properly investi- won gold medals alongside senators expressed disgust ity for the missteps and gave
also blame an entire system gate the Nassar case, and later them on the 2012 and 2016 over the case and said they incomplete and inaccurate
that enabled and perpetrated lied about it, has been fired Olympic teams, and gymnast would continue to investi- information to internal FBI
his abuse,” Biles said through by the agency, Wray said. Maggie Nichols. Raisman gate. Senate Judiciary Com- inquiries to make it look like
tears. In addition to failures told the senators that it “dis- mittee Chairman Richard they had been diligent in
of the FBI, she said USA McKayla Maroney, a mem- gusts” her that they are still Durbin, D-Ill., said it was their investigation.
Gymnastics and the United ber of the gold-medal win- looking for answers six years among the most compelling
States Olympic and Paralym- ning U.S. Olympic gymnas- after the original allegations and heartbreaking testimony The report also detailed that
pic Committee “knew that I tics team in 2012, recounted against Nassar were reported. he had ever heard. while the FBI was investigat-
was abused by their official to senators a night when, at ing the Nassar allegations,
team doctor long before I age 15, she found the doctor Raisman noted the traumatic “We have a job to do and we the head of the FBI’s field
was ever made aware of their on top of her while she was effect the abuse has had on all know it,” Durbin said. office in Indianapolis, W. Jay
knowledge.” naked — one of many times of them. Abbott, was talking to Penny
she was abused. She said she Republican Sen. John about getting a job with the
Biles said a message needs thought she was going to die “Being here today is taking Cornyn of Texas said Con- Olympic Committee. He ap-
to be sent: “If you allow a that evening. But she said everything I have,” she said. gress must “demand real plied for the job but didn’t
predator to harm children, that when she recalled those “My main concern is I hope change, and real accountabil- get it and later retired from
the consequences will be memories in a call with FBI I have the energy to just walk ity, and we will not be satis- the FBI, the report said.
swift and severe. Enough is agents, crying, there was out of here. I don’t think fied by platitudes and vague Nassar pleaded guilty in 2017
enough.” “dead silence.” people realize how much it promises about improved to federal child pornography
affects us.” performance” from federal offenses and sexual abuse
The hearing is part of a con- Maroney said the FBI “mini- law enforcement. Sen. Jerry charges in Michigan. He is
gressional effort to hold the mized and disregarded” her Biles acknowledged in Janu- Moran, R-Kansas, called now serving decades in pris-
ary 2018 that she was among Nassar a “monster” and on after hundreds of girls
the hundreds of athletes who wondered how many other and women said he sexually
were abused by Nassar. She abusers have escaped justice, abused them under the guise
is the only one of the wit- considering that even world- of medical treatment when
nesses who competed in the class athletes were ignored in he worked for Michigan
2020 Tokyo Olympics — this case. State and Indiana-based USA
held this year after a one-year Gymnastics, which trains
delay due to the coronavirus The internal probe by Justice Olympians.
pandemic — where she re- Department Inspector Gen-
moved herself from the team eral Michael Horowitz, who Litigation over the abuse may
finals to focus on her mental testified alongside Wray, was soon be coming to an end
health. spurred by allegations that after USA Gymnastics and
the FBI failed to promptly hundreds of Nassar’s vic-
She returned to earn a bronze address complaints made in tims filed a joint $425 million
medal on beam but told the 2015 against Nassar. USA settlement proposal in U.S.
committee the lingering Gymnastics had conducted Bankruptcy Court in India-
trauma from her abuse at the its own internal investigation napolis last month.