WAG Federal Child Pornography Charges Filed Against Dr. Nassar

[Deleted member D3987]

^^^THIS! And still after all this stuff coming out about went down there, parents still send their kids there alone w/o a second thought as though none of this even happened because they want their kids to be elites. I think it's a huge red flag, but our selection system for high level atheletes is set up so that all the power belongs to a handful of individuals who hold all the cards and have the power to blacklist anyone who doesn't play by the rules. How deep our talent level is in this country, where no one gymnast is irreplaceable when it comes to us still being dominant internationally, doesn't help either.

all what stuff?! alleged...alleged...alleged... doesn't mean it's true.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

So, anyone have an opinion on the famous ranch? And why it has to be in the middle of no where, void of parents? Why does this seem to be such a red flag to me? I have friends that have literally gone nuts when it comes to the ranch......go ahead, take my kid!
Maybe I'm just NEVER going to be face with that decision.....my kids' not ever going, but.......shouldn't it be more accessible to parents at least?

there is nothing wrong at the ranch.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I've said this before but I also think the national osteopathic society or whoever you have over there has to take some responsibility.

This licensed "treatment" should have very strict rules on when and who should be allowed to practice it and when.

In an ob/gyn office for birth injuries, yes. For a sports dr treating teenage girls? No way in hell should he have been licensed or permitted to use that treatment protocol.

and would you feel the same for a female physician?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

When is USAG going to come forward and state to their members, and their parents, exactly what it did and did not know? When is it going to state what it has done, and what will be done in the future.

For sure some of this happened before Penny took over, but some of it took place after.

nothing can be said now. this is what lawsuits and investigations do in the USA. *gag*

 

[Faith]

and would you feel the same for a female physician?

Yes. Imo there is no need for "intravaginal adjustment" on any athlete. No matter who is administering.

If they have a specific issue that needs this treatment it should be dealt with outside the sport remit, they should visit their own ob/gyn office. It should not be being done by gym, or any other sport, medical team within that environment.

I think the fact that it was a licensed "treatment" increased the opportunity to abuse.

 

[munchkin3]

there is nothing wrong at the ranch.

Ok, then why not let one parent attend?

 

[mandkmom]

Exactly! Why not let there be more transparency? Just because someone says the ranch is safe doesn't make it so. I'm sure the scum that hurt these girls would have said wherever they worked had nothing wrong either.

If we think parents, coaches, and other responsible adults shoulder some blame (i.e. Should have known what is going on) in this entire scandal then these same parties need to be allowed to question and know what's going on at all levels- including elite.

 

[Jenny]

Legally I think it would be difficult for there to be a report system which would revoke certifications for coaches without there being some real evidence.....this is where it is sketchy for USAG....imagine revoking someone who did nothing wrong?
I'm not saying Penny is good or bad, and I certainly would feel differently if I had a child who was molested. Perhaps a change and some fresh blood is needed.

Back to the article- Nasser should be hung. The other article from Indystar is a great ice breaker. I hope USAG can implement some easy fixes like background checks for ALL coaches....(heck, my son is coaching at 16 and he had a background check!!)
I think training is so critical! I think parents should take a mandatory class if they have a child member......coaches must have annual training, and there must be some kind of anonymous hotline where reports can be made.

I don't know- it's all so horrible. I feel so terrible for all the families affected. I am sure there are people in the organization who have knowledge of these scumbags, but I just don't know how much USAG can do.....maybe they need more power? Club owners also need to be careful who they hire.

The report system does not revoke the coaching qualification. However without a DBS check you cannot coach or be a member of BG which includes your coaching insurance. You cannot coach without that either. The DBS check is independent of sport and is a government check for any adult working with children, paid or unpaid on a regular basis. In any setting. School, church, sport, hospital etc etc.

And also those adults who are in regular contact with children in any setting also have to take child protection/ safeguarding courses every 3 years. To help them spot and report issues.

 

[Faith]

Ok, then why not let one parent attend?

For DD, at least, part of the national squad camps are learning to be away from the parents. Little things like keeping track of their belongings, eating properly when all there is is hotel or canteen food. Being with your team when things go right or wrong. Also the team selectors need to know they are taking kids who can function away from parents. Some can't. Several have stepped off camps, at least for a couple of years, because they can't be away from home.

DD, at 11, had her first international assignment this year. Because she'd been on camps, knew the coaches, knew the chaperones, knew her teammates, knew the rules, it was barely a big deal. She was used to things not going through parents, not having that parental buffer.

But like I said our safeguarding is different to yours and there's more gates and checks. Also I did not sign the waiver to consent to medical treatment (except emergency obviously). Any routine medical procedure, lactate testing, physio etc they must contact me first and we can make the decision to go ahead with chaperone or wait for me to get there, whichever DD prefers.

 

[profmom]

There is so much to criticize here and so many people to blame. I want to put a little spotlight on some folks who seem to me have done things right. Check out the letter that Buckeye sent their families after allegations against former coach Ray Adams surfaced. Clear, direct communication, lots of transparency, and a good plan to identify people who slip through screening cracks, as well as encouragement to parents to be part of the process of helping the gym to prevent these things. Every gym owner in the country should read this letter, in my opinion.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3233328-2009-letter-to-parents-from-Buckeye-Gymnastics.html

 

[sevenatenine2]

@dunno, can you speak to a question that jumps out at me, as a coach and a parent?

I understand sending your child to the ranch with a coach. I understand the need for parents to not be there, even. I don't understand how coaches would send their athletes in for any kind of treatment with a doctor one on one? As a coach, I don't think I'd send my athlete to see a doctor at the ranch by herself when her parents weren't there. I think I'd do my best to attend, yet it seems it was very common place for an athlete to be seen with just Dr. Nassar. At the least, it seems a lack of judgment is occurring at the ranch that would make me uncomfortable as a parent.

 

[sevenatenine2]

1. none of it.
2. they can't.
3. you're correct

and the rest of your narrative is spot on.

If USA allowed a doctor to examine athletes with only the male doctor and the female ( and in many cases, minor) athlete in the room, then USAG shares the blame. Absolutely and without question.

 

[Faith]

Thing is though, the treatment is licensed.

So a dr says the athlete needs "intravaginal adjustment", and is licensed to perform that treatment. If the athlete consents to the medical procedure, it may even have been performed with the chaperones/usag knowledge, with a chaperone or even parent in the room, perhaps behind a curtain.

The trigger for reports, if i have inderstood correctly, was not that he was performing intravaginal treatment, bit that he did it without gloves.

Like many clever abusers, it may not be as clear cut. Same as many women may consent to a breast exam, but only after think, hang on, i had a sore knee, so the breast exam was not appropriate.

Bit it's a medical dr, they had comsent, they may think they have no grounds to report.

 

[QueenBee]

There is so much to criticize here and so many people to blame. I want to put a little spotlight on some folks who seem to me have done things right. Check out the letter that Buckeye sent their families after allegations against former coach Ray Adams surfaced. Clear, direct communication, lots of transparency, and a good plan to identify people who slip through screening cracks, as well as encouragement to parents to be part of the process of helping the gym to prevent these things. Every gym owner in the country should read this letter, in my opinion.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3233328-2009-letter-to-parents-from-Buckeye-Gymnastics.html

I think you hit the nail on the head with transparency and clear communication. Reading that letter, I, as a parent, cannot see what else the gym, coaches, and/or owner could have done more than the actions they took. And their actions seem to be impeccable. I also appreciated the clear communication that took place as to explaining what actions would (and did) leave to job termination. Seems like Buckeye is very well run and had a clear policy that applied to everyone.

 

[Gymmommy71]

There is so much to criticize here and so many people to blame. I want to put a little spotlight on some folks who seem to me have done things right. Check out the letter that Buckeye sent their families after allegations against former coach Ray Adams surfaced. Clear, direct communication, lots of transparency, and a good plan to identify people who slip through screening cracks, as well as encouragement to parents to be part of the process of helping the gym to prevent these things. Every gym owner in the country should read this letter, in my opinion.

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3233328-2009-letter-to-parents-from-Buckeye-Gymnastics.html

I read the Indy Star timeline story about this guy yesterday. Another scumbag who should have been banned years before he was finally charged w/ a crime. The stuff about that parent booster association raising money for his defense and bail really blew my mind - plus how he kissed up to the gym moms to get close to their daughters. Poor 10 year old is victimized, and her and her family have the courage to press charges, and then her whole gym is raising money to help and support the scumbag that did this to her! Instead of supporting her. I can't imagine how hard that must have been. I hope there were at least some parents who stood by the little girl and refused to participate in the fundraisers.

 

[bookworm]

Also the report in the Indystar that 368 gymnasts have reported sexual abuse in the last 20 years - yet many accused were free to hop from gym to gym when sacked
http://www.indystar.com/story/news/...gymnasts-allege-sexual-exploitation/95198724/

Are the persons in this story ( alleged offenders) listed anywhere so we know who to avoid?

 

[suebee]

I am truly curious - in the UK, what exactly shows up in this DBS? Do accusations show up?

From what I've read, Larry Nassar had at least one complaint against him in the past at his place of work that was investigated, and no evidence of wrongdoing was found. I think that in the US, finding arrests and convictions is pretty straightforward. Finding out about accusations is not easy at all.

I run a volunteer organization where adults work with children. We do background checks on all our adult volunteers, but background checks do not show accusations.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Ok, then why not let one parent attend?

they do. they stay at hotels off the ranch property. just as some coaches do. it's a national team training center. you think the 1 parent should stay in the cabins with their child? it's like sardines already.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

No details are released to the organisation requesting a check. The person (ie applicant) is sent a certificate showing they have passed the check and they show this to the employer. If they don't pass the check, they are sent a letter telling them they have failed the check, and details of where to dispute that finding, if they feel its unfair.

People are on the "banned " list if they have certain criminal convictions, or if employers have had to terminate them for inappropriate conduct. This could be sexual, physical (ie rough handling) mental abuse etc. A person can appeal the findings but they need to prove the allegations are wrong.

Employers are duty bound to report inappropriate conduct to the DBS authority and they then build a case over time. 1 minor incident wont get you a ban, but a history would, as would any conviction or serious incident.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Yes. Imo there is no need for "intravaginal adjustment" on any athlete. No matter who is administering.

If they have a specific issue that needs this treatment it should be dealt with outside the sport remit, they should visit their own ob/gyn office. It should not be being done by gym, or any other sport, medical team within that environment.

I think the fact that it was a licensed "treatment" increased the opportunity to abuse.

interesting. they do this same procedure in your country also.
and btw, your country has sent us a couple of these blokes also. one killed himself and the other has been put out to coaching pastures.