Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, widely regarded as one of the best gymnasts in the world, wept as she told her experience of sexual assault at the hands of convicted USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar on Wednesday.
In her opening statement, Biles, who has won 25 world championship medals and seven Olympic medals for Team USA, said she believes the abuse took place because organisations created by Congress to protect her as an athlete — USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee — “failed to do their jobs.”
Her testimony follows the release of a Justice Department inspector general report in July that highlighted the FBI's mishandling of the Nassar investigation.
“We suffered and continue to suffer because no one at the FBI, USA Gymnastics, or the [US Olympic and Paralympic Committee] did all they could to safeguard us,” she added. “We have been failed, and we deserve answers. Nasser belonged to prison, but those who helped him should be held accountable. If they aren't, I am confident that similar incidents will occur in other Olympic sports.”
Also Read: Everton VS Burnley Updates: Everton struck three times in seven minutes in the second halfIn his opening speech on Wednesday, Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the report portrayed “a shocking picture of FBI dereliction of duty and gross incompetence.”
Sen. Richard Blumemthal, D-Conn., also made his opening speech, calling Nassar's abuse "heinous" and "hideous," and said it should never happen again.
“There is no doubt Larry Nassar was a monster — a horrific predator,” Blumenthal said, adding that a Senate report on the investigation focused not only on such monsters but also on their enablers, including “the institutions that failed you, the schools like Michigan State University, USA Gymnastics, the coaches and trainers.” “Everyone turned away.”
Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, warned that “platitudes and vague assurances about greater performance” will not satisfy lawmakers.
“How many other abusers have escaped justice if this monster was able to continue hurting these women and girls after his victims initially reported to the FBI?” Cornyn had inquired.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the committee's ranking member, said youngsters "suffered needlessly" because various FBI agents in multiple offices "failed to share" complaints against Nassar with their law enforcement colleagues.
“Because of this loophole in the law, Nassar was able to avoid federal prosecution for sexually abusing minors while going overseas, which will never happen again.”
Nassar pled guilty in 2017 to sexually assaulting ten of the more than 265 women and girls who had come forward to allege they had been abused. He faces a maximum sentence of 175 years in jail.
Olympic gymnasts Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols, and Aly Raisman testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz and FBI Director Christopher Wray, who was not in charge of the agency during the original inquiry, are also scheduled to speak. Wray is likely to discuss the reforms that have been implemented to ensure that the agency conducts thorough investigations into allegations of sexual abuse in the future.