Report finds USA Gymnastics failed to investigate dozens of sexual abuse allegations
Between 1996 and 2006, nearly 54 sexual abuse allegations were lobbed against coaches for USA Gymnastics — and as The Indianapolis Star reported Thursday, many of those allegations were never investigated. In an effort to protect coaches' reputations against false allegations, the organization, which is the governing body of gymnastics in the U.S., reportedly instituted a policy that required only complaints made directly by the victim or by the victim's parents to be further investigated.
That policy, The Indianapolis Star discovered, enabled many instances of sexual abuse to go unchecked throughout a 10-year period. In one case, "a coach preyed on young female athletes for seven years after USA Gymnastics dismissed the first of four warnings about him," the report revealed.
Furthermore, USA Gymnastics' policy runs counter to state laws, which require even suspected child abuse to be reported, and to legal experts' advice about how to best handle these sorts of allegations. "When an agency receives information, first they need to ask themselves: 'Do I have reason to believe that a child is being abused or neglected based on this information that I've received?'" Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Korobov told the Star. "If so, you make a report. And you make an immediate report. End of story."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny declined IndyStar's request for an interview, only saying in a statement: "USA Gymnastics has a long and proactive history of developing policy to protect its athletes and will remain diligent in evaluating new and best practices which should be implemented. We recognize our leadership role is important and remain committed to working with the entire gymnastics community and other important partners to promote a safe and fun environment for children."
The paper's report comes just a day before the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics, where the U.S. women's gymnastics team will be defending its gold-medal win at the last Summer Olympics in London. Read the full investigation at The Indianapolis Star.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
'Make legal immigration a more plausible option'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
LA-to-Las Vegas high-speed rail line breaks ground
Speed Read The railway will be ready as soon as 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel's military intelligence chief resigns
Speed Read Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva is the first leader to quit for failing to prevent the Hamas attack in October
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published