USOC
prized winning over athlete safety: congressional report
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[December 21, 2018]
By Rory Carroll
(Reuters) - The U.S. Olympic community
prioritized "medals and money" over the safety of its athletes,
creating a culture that contributed to widespread instances of
sexual abuse, according to a congressional report released on
Thursday.
The report comes after more than 350 women testified that former USA
Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar abused them during his tenure,
crimes for which he is now serving an effective life sentence.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee's year-long investigation
found a number of failures and breakdowns in the system to protect
athletes including how allegations of sexual misconduct were handled
by the USOC and its National Governing Bodies (NGBs), which run
individual sports.
"The culture of the Olympic community must change," the 132-page
report concluded.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2018/Dec/21/images/ads/current/Alexander_sda_HFH_2018.png)
"The days of 'medals and money' must be pushed to the past. It is
critical that the USOC, the NGBs, and all those involved in
organized sport recognize that the protection of athletes - the vast
majority of whom are minors - must be the top priority."
Among other recommendations, the committee said the Olympic
community should promote an open dialogue surrounding issues of
sexual abuse and that the USOC should develop sanctions for NGBs
that do not impact athletes.
Thursday's report followed law firm Ropes & Gray's finding earlier
this month that top USOC officials failed to share information
concerning accusations against Nassar when they were first brought
to their attention.
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![](../images/122118pics/sports65.jpg)
Larry Nassar, a former team USA Gymnastics doctor who pleaded guilty
in November 2017 to sexual assault charges, stands in court during
his sentencing hearing in the Eaton County Court in Charlotte,
Michigan, U.S., February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Mar/14/images/ads/current/tires250x300.gif)
A Senate subcommittee looking into the Nassar scandal last week said
it would ask the FBI to determine whether former U.S. Olympic
Committee Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun had made false
statements to the panel.
USOC CEO Sarah Hirshland expressed gratitude for the House
committee's report and said athlete safety was now the body's No. 1
priority.
"Sexual abuse, harassment and discrimination have no place in the
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic community, and it's on all of us –
member organizations, institutions, and individuals alike – to
foster a healthy culture for competitive excellence," Hirshland
said.
The USOC said it had strengthened its athlete safety programs,
elevated the voices of athletes in shaping USOC and NGB policies and
begun evaluating and reforming how the USOC engages with NGBs and
athletes.
"We will continue to do the work necessary to develop a healthy
culture that keeps athletes safe and allows them to be their very
best," it said.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Tom Brown)
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