WAG Discussion of abuse in USAG - Nassar

[gymmomx2]

What I keep thinking is - if Marta/Geddert knew why did they allow Nassar to stay? Was he that good of a doctor that they thought it was worth it despite the abuse? Maybe they truly did not know, which doesn't absolve them from any of the responsibility because they really should have known better than to allow him to see girls alone.

 

[MILgymFAM]

What I keep thinking is - if Marta/Geddert knew why did they allow Nassar to stay? Was he that good of a doctor that they thought it was worth it despite the abuse? Maybe they truly did not know, which doesn't absolve them from any of the responsibility because they really should have known better than to allow him to see girls alone.

I don’t think it would have anything to do with Nassar himself if they knew and did nothing. It would be because they were savvy enough to anticipate the blowback and bad publicity and thought they could keep it quiet indefinitely.

 

[Gymmommy71]

This article is about a lawsuit filed in January of last year which claims a parent said something to Geddert about Nassar in 1997 - https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.oc...otect-athletes-from-alleged-sexual-abuse/amp/

I wonder what is happening w/ all these lawsuits. Have any of them went to trail?

 

[John]

I can not speculate on who knew what prior to Maggie going to her coach and the USAG. What matters is that NO ADULT within the USAG did anything to protect the athletes after her declaration. If anything was done it can be summarized as a coverup and an attempt to prevent bad publicity and sickening. This is my problem, I believe once Maggie came forward anyone and everyone of importance within the USAG were privy to the information, and NOTHING was done to protect CHILDREN, the very children that generated the USAG income. All that was considered by the USAG was how do we protect ourselves. This was a sickening approach to the problem, as a result, the USAG should be dissolved or at the very least every official replaced. A million dollars to someone who orchestrated a cover-up, shame. That million dollars could have been used to help victims or used to sponsor all the national meets that lost sponsors and are now in jeopardy of being lost.

 

[BachFlyer]

It was reported during Nassar's trial that Geddart walked in during a "treatment" at his gym and did nothing, treated it as a commonplace activity. That man gave Nasser free reign to treat girls at his facility and knew how he was "treating" them. I personally feel he needs to be investigated too, and I'm surprised that he has received so little attention through this all. It is good that MSU is being investigated, too. Sure, I believe some (most) people that might have seen a red flag or two were in denial and had good intentions but extremely poor judgement. But others bear much responsibility and should face consequences.

 

[BachFlyer]

Not to mention, he was coming of having an Olympian and being the Team USA coach, and still had other elite girls during this whole time. Does anyone honestly believe that he didn't have any inkling at the time WHY Nassar was fired by USAG ? Did he really believe Nassar suddenly "retired" just before the 2016 games? Come on...

 

[BachFlyer]

I can not speculate on who knew what prior to Maggie going to her coach and the USAG. What matters is that NO ADULT within the USAG did anything to protect the athletes after her declaration. If anything was done it can be summarized as a coverup and an attempt to prevent bad publicity and sickening. This is my problem, I believe once Maggie came forward anyone and everyone of importance within the USAG were privy to the information, and NOTHING was done to protect CHILDREN, the very children that generated the USAG income. All that was considered by the USAG was how do we protect ourselves. This was a sickening approach to the problem, as a result, the USAG should be dissolved or at the very least every official replaced. A million dollars to someone who orchestrated a cover-up, shame. That million dollars could have been used to help victims or used to sponsor all the national meets that lost sponsors and are now in jeopardy of being lost.

AMEN

 

[profmom]

I know everyone is justifiably enraged about all of this, but please keep in mind that no trials have taken place yet. Lawsuits (both civil and criminal) have been filed, and media reports have drawn from the content of these filings; Nassar has also pled guilty to some counts. But no adversarial trial in which facts have been contested has yet taken place. And it's quite possible that no trial ever will take place.

It's unfortunate that news reporting on legal stuff isn't more careful with these important distinctions.

 

[wandrewsjr]

Maggie reported to USAG in June 2015. Nassar stopped working for USAG in 2015.(can’t find a specific date for that, does anyone know?) Though vast more should have been done by many, if this report prompted USAG to sever the relationship, I can’t see how that can accurately be described as “doing nothing.”

 

[John]

Maggie reported to USAG in June 2015. Nassar stopped working for USAG in 2015.(can’t find a specific date for that, does anyone know?) Though vast more should have been done by many, if this report prompted USAG to sever the relationship, I can’t see how that can accurately be described as “doing nothing.”

You imply that it is acceptable to know an adult man is sexually abusing minors and that releasing him from employment is all that needs to be done? I see that you are a coach, please tell me what gym employees you work so I can be sure to never step foot in that facility.

 

[wandrewsjr]

You imply that it is acceptable to know an adult man is sexually abusing minors and that releasing him from employment is all that needs to be done? I see that you are a coach, please tell me what gym employees you work so I can be sure to never step foot in that facility.

Oh my John, please re-read my comment and point out where I said or, even came close to implying, that ANYTHING was acceptable. That is why I specifically said that vast more should have been done by many. Was only pointing out that firing someone is something, not nothing.

 

[2gymkids]

I can not speculate on who knew what prior to Maggie going to her coach and the USAG. What matters is that NO ADULT within the USAG did anything to protect the athletes after her declaration. If anything was done it can be summarized as a coverup and an attempt to prevent bad publicity and sickening. This is my problem, I believe once Maggie came forward anyone and everyone of importance within the USAG were privy to the information, and NOTHING was done to protect CHILDREN, the very children that generated the USAG income. All that was considered by the USAG was how do we protect ourselves. This was a sickening approach to the problem, as a result, the USAG should be dissolved or at the very least every official replaced. A million dollars to someone who orchestrated a cover-up, shame. That million dollars could have been used to help victims or used to sponsor all the national meets that lost sponsors and are now in jeopardy of being lost.

Completely agree. It makes me absolutely sick that I pay membership fees to this organization for my daughter. I think she's about to end her time in the sport anyway, but if not I'm going to have to think really hard about keeping her enrolled in an organization that let this happen to their athletes, no matter how much I love and trust her gym and coaches.

 

[suds]

During this painful aftermath, I keep feeling like something is missing. I imagine:

… an independent Victims' Advocacy Project, of national scope, with qualified professionals, conducting in-person interviews, with the questions: What factors led to this abuse? What enabled this to happen? What is your insight in how to prevent this in the future?
Exploration of the complex, contributing issues, and identification of common themes precedes “Lessons Learned.”
Given the sheer volume of victims, it would be foolish to not utilize this experience to learn from it.

Responses: obtained and coalesced professionally, reported from anonymous sources (as needed / if requested).
Funding: independent (i.e. not from USAG or MSU), possibly crowd-funded.

Organized into 3 categories of information: “Voices of Athletes”, “Voices of Coaches”, and “Voices of Parents.”

Results disseminated by the independent Victims' Advocacy Project.
Credibility of this project would hinge on professional qualifications of interviewers and writers, independence from MSU or USAG, and (most importantly) victims giving their blessing for this process.

Anticipated: push-back by attorneys. With enough support, this would not dissuade exploring and presenting the factors that enabled abuse to occur within our gymnastics community.

An independent, information-gathering, Victims' Advocacy Project.

I can dream…

 

[Flyaway]

USAG's response:

Link Removed

 

[Gymmommy71]

Completely agree. It makes me absolutely sick that I pay membership fees to this organization for my daughter. I think she's about to end her time in the sport anyway, but if not I'm going to have to think really hard about keeping her enrolled in an organization that let this happen to their athletes, no matter how much I love and trust her gym and coaches.

This is how I feel too.... I am so angry they have received my membership fees all these years to use as hush money for victims. I am also so offended that these elite athletes that my daughter has looked up to had to endure awful abuse for years just so they could compete at the highest level in this sport (that already requires so much hard work and sacrifice just to be at that level). I also feel awful for their parents who were literally forbidden to be at that awful ranch and at competitions while their kids were abused.

 

[John]

I can only compare this to the Penn State scandal. It too was sickening. It had a somewhat different outcome, some of the university officials are doing jail time.

Oh my John, please re-read my comment and point out where I said or, even came close to implying, that ANYTHING was acceptable. That is why I specifically said that vast more should have been done by many. Was only pointing out that firing someone is something, not nothing.

You did say that a vast more should have been done by many, apologies. You also imply firing someone is something. I pictured you shrugging your shoulders and saying well they did something. And this is the problem we are experiencing, offenders quit or are fired and flee. No charges are filed. Everyone involved hopes it just goes away. In the meantime the offender moves to another location and the tragedy repeats itself.

 

[profmom]

Oh, Suds, you mean like this? It didn't even have to be crowd sourced or privately funded.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/396512-report-final-071212.html

Today it is USAG and MSU on the hot seat. What sport/institution will be next?

Until there is cultural change and legislative reform, it's going to keep happening. Predators will continue to test different organizations to find their weak spots and exploit them, and people will continue to disbelieve victims and trust and believe predators. I do think gymnastics can do better, and I believe that it will, but that's not going to solve the underlying problem. It is happening right now, right this minute, in the foster care system, but there are no marquee victims and no deep pockets there to chase, thanks in part to the DeShaney ruling that denies responsibility on the part of the state for recognizing and stopping abuse.

I'm impressed with Manly's media strategy. I hope that the victims of Larry Nassar ultimately get what they need most to recover and heal. I also sincerely hope that none are under any pressure whatsoever to release information that they do not want to make public.

 

[Gymmommy71]

And remember, Nassar was still seeing gymnasts at Twistars (USAG member club) up till and even a little bit beyond when the news broke. So even if they got him away from the national team, the gymnasts at Gedderts club were still at risk of being victimized. Not to mention MSU.

It is a very similar situation to the Penn State scandal, where they chose to protect the brand at all costs.

 

[BachFlyer]

Oh, Suds, you mean like this? It didn't even have to be crowd sourced or privately funded.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/396512-report-final-071212.html

Today it is USAG and MSU on the hot seat. What sport/institution will be next?

Until there is cultural change and legislative reform, it's going to keep happening. Predators will continue to test different organizations to find their weak spots and exploit them, and people will continue to disbelieve victims and trust and believe predators. I do think gymnastics can do better, and I believe that it will, but that's not going to solve the underlying problem. It is happening right now, right this minute, in the foster care system, but there are no marquee victims and no deep pockets there to chase, thanks in part to the DeShaney ruling that denies responsibility on the part of the state for recognizing and stopping abuse.

I'm impressed with Manly's media strategy. I hope that the victims of Larry Nassar ultimately get what they need most to recover and heal. I also sincerely hope that none are under any pressure whatsoever to release information that they do not want to make public.

I agree with everything you said here, and thank you very much for sharing that link. I'm no lawyer, but I intend to read it for the insight I can glean. In regards to the last statement you made though, in the instance that I am familiar with where the wish is to remain anonymous (please be clear I am NOT presuming to speak about anything I don't know) there is no pressure whatsoever, in fact it seems Manly has been quite adamant about protection.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

I really hate when people misuse the word "literally", but by God this whole thing has literally made me vomit and cry ugly tears. It has made me question every decision I have made about allowing my daughter to participate in this sport.

USA gymnastics is not just its own bubble with all this horrific tragic failure to protect the athletes, the CHILDREN.

Abuse is happening every day in every gym in every country. It may not be the blatant sexual abuse that this monster Nasser has committed. But it's there in the psychological abuse that these kids (CHILDREN) are exposed to daily.

And I will own the fact that yes, I have turned a blind eye too often in the name of having my daughter advance in the sport.

It all needs to end. I think the #metoo movement has inspired many who have felt silenced to now speak up, and I hope it continues.

Remember everyone... we are the parents and our first duty is the protection of our children from ALL HARM.

F#%k. This chills me to the core. Hug your daughters and sons, and more importantly, TALK to them.

*steps off soapbox* but thanks for being my place to express this.