FIG President: 'Time to Stand As United Family' to Prevent Sex Abuse

(ATR) The FIG president says that "now is the time to stand as a united family" to ensure there will never be another sexual abuse scandal like the one involving USA Gymnastics.

"For the past months, we have been working to establish an independent body to which any potential case of abuse could be reported," International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe said in a statement on Thursday. "It will work closely with legal experts and the appropriate authorities.

"We are committed more than ever to ensuring a safe environment for the welfare of our athletes in every part of the world."

Watanabe says that the FIG will work together with the new President and CEO of USA Gymnastics Kerry Perry to prevent these tragic events from happening again.

The comments come on the heels of Larry Nassar being sentenced Wednesday to up to 175 years in prison for his sexual abuse against 168 known victims, many of them gymnasts, some of them Olympic medalists.

Nasser, former team doctor for USA Gymnastics, pleaded guilty in October to 10 counts of sexual abuse.

As a condition of his plea, victims of Nassar’s predation were given the chance to deliver statements in a Michigan courtroom during the past week. 156 did so, a brutal recounting of three decades of assaults against young women.

"I was already profoundly shocked and saddened by the testimonies that many athletes have shared during the past year but the vibrant voices we heard in the courtroom these last days, telling of the sexual abuses they suffered, left my heart broken," Watanabe said.

"As FIG President, I extend my deepest respect to these gymnasts: they are not only champions whom we admire during our competitions but above all they are courageous women who have come forward to ask for change.

"I want to tell them that we do not tolerate any type of abuse or harassment in the Gymnastics community."

Written by Gerard Farek

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