$380 million settlement agreed upon for abused U.S. gymnasts

A $380 million dollar settlement will soon be distributed to hundreds of gymnasts abused by the former team doctor for U.S. Gymnastics.

The settlement was announced today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Indianapolis, Indiana, the headquarters for the national governing body USA Gymnastics. They have been under bankruptcy protection since 2018 as part of its efforts to avoid collapse from the weight of lawsuits filed by women assaulted by Larry Nasser across two decades. Nasser is serving federal prison sentences exceeding 100 years for his crimes.

The New York Times is reporting the bulk of the settlement will be paid by insurers of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and USA Gymnastics. The USOPC would also contribute another $34 million from its treasury while providing the national governing body with a $6 million loan, according to the newspaper.

A spokesman for the USOPC could not confirm details of the settlement, pending approval of the terms by the bankruptcy court. As one of the largest cases of sexual abuse in sport began to be exposed in 2016, the USOPC had maintained that it did not bear responsibility as the doctor was an employee of USA Gymnastics.

The settlement ends dozens of lawsuits filed since Nasser’s arrest and subsequent trials. A committee of abused gymnasts took part in the negotiations on the final terms.