(ATR) Aly Raisman goes to court seeking damages over the sexual abuse she suffered from the team doctor for gymnastics in the U.S.
The gold medalist from the London Olympics charges that the USOC, USA Gymnastics failed to exercise their duties to protect athletes under their care, whether at training camp or Olympic Games.
Along with the two organizations, ex-USA Gymnastics CEO Steve Penny and Paul Parilla, former chairman of the USAG board are specifically named in the 57-page complaint.
The third named plaintiff is Larry Nassar, convicted of multiple charges of sexual abuse against young athletes under his care as team doctor for USA Gymnastics. He is serving life in prison for his crimes, carried out across two decades, involving at least 300 women. It is the largest sexual abuse scandal to be disclosed for Olympic sport in the U.S., if not the world.
The scandal grew Friday with word that gymnast Jacob Moore has joined a separate federal lawsuit against Nassar’s former employer, Michigan State University. Moore is the first male to accuse Nassar of abuse.
The Raisman lawsuit was filed by John Manly, whose firm in Irvine, California specializes in cases involving sexual or other forms of harassment. The case is filed in California Superior Court for Santa Clara County. The suit alleges abuse in the Los Angeles suburb as well as multiple locations, ranging from the Karolyi training camp in Texas, competitions in the U.S. and abroad, including Japan and London during the 2012 Olympics.
The lawsuit was filed Feb. 28 and only has a case number. Hearings to put the suit on a docket have yet to take place. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial. The suit seeks unspecified damages involving claims of negligence, sexual harassment, inflicting emotional distress, gender violence and sexual assault. Punitive damages are requested.
The lawsuit includes a 1999 letter from then USA Gymnastics chairRobert Colarossi to the leadership of the USOC warning that its help was needed to secure the safety of young athletes. Colarossi ended the hour page letter noting "this is not an issue that can be wished away".
"The USOC can position itself as a leader in the protection of young athletes or it can wait until it is forced to deal with the problem under much more difficult circumstances," Colarossi writes prophetically.
The letter is addressed, among others, to then USOC President William Hybl and the USOC general counsel, Scott Blackmun. Blackmun had just joined the USOC staff for his first tour of duty. He returned in 2010 as CEO, resigning this week for health reasons but under fire by criticsforhis handling of the Nassar scandal.
There was no immediate comment from the USOC to the Raisman lawsuit.
USA Gymnastics issued a statement saying it could not comment on the Raisman lawsuit or Jacob Moore. But the national governing body insists action is being taken to repair the damage of Nassar’s predation.
"USA Gymnastics supports our athletes, like Aly Raisman, Jacob Moore and others, who have shared their experiences with abuse, and we are very sorry that any athlete has been hurt by the despicable crimes of Larry Nassar," says the statement.
"USA Gymnastics first became aware that an athlete had expressed concern about a procedure by Larry Nassar in June 2015, which led USA Gymnastics to report Nassar to the FBI and dismiss him from further involvement with USA Gymnastics.
"USA Gymnastics is committed to doing everything we can to prevent this from happening again by making bold decisions and holding ourselves to the highest standards of care. We need the gymnastics community to join with us to accomplish this for both the young men and women who are pursuing their gymnastics dreams today and to honor those who have gone before," says the USAG statement.
Since the start of the year, the entire board of directors of the NGB has resigned. At the Indianapolis headquarters, three executives have left in recent weeks. Luan Peszek, vp for development, a veteran of nearly 30 years, is the latest to call it quits.
Reported by Ed Hula.