Ex-officials in U.S. gymnastics sex abuse
scandal to testify to Senate
Send a link to a friend
[June 05, 2018]
By Makini Brice
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The heads of
Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, who resigned in the wake
of a sex abuse scandal involving a former doctor at their organizations,
could face tough questions when they appear on Tuesday at a U.S. Senate
hearing on how to protect athletes from similar behavior.
Lou Anna Simon, who resigned as president of Michigan State in January,
and Steve Penny who stepped down as president of USA Gymnastics, were
criticized for not doing enough to halt the abuse by Larry Nassar, who
was convicted of molesting gymnasts in two separate cases.
Nassar, who worked as a doctor for USA Gymnastics and also served at an
on-campus clinic at Michigan State, received prison sentences of up to
175 and 125 years in two Michigan courts, and 60 years in a separate
federal case.
Simon and Penny are scheduled to testify before a U.S. Senate
subcommittee, but the extent of their testimony may be limited as
witnesses can assert the right not to answer questions for fear their
testimony could be used in a potential criminal prosecution against
them.
Many victims testified in the Michigan cases that Nassar sexually abused
them under the guise of medical treatment while on his examination
table, sometimes hiding it from view of nearby parents.
The revelations of the long-running abuses sparked investigations by
Congress and the U.S. Department of Education into possible offenses at
U.S. athletic federations and schools. They also led to the resignation
of the entire USA Gymnastics board and the head of the U.S. Olympic
Committee also resigned, citing medical reasons.
[to top of second column]
|
Simon, who became president in 2005, said in her resignation letter
in January that "as tragedies are politicized, blame is inevitable.
As president, it is only natural that I am the focus of this anger."
Last month, hundreds of women sexually abused by Nassar tentatively
agreed to a $500 million settlement with Michigan State.
Penny resigned in March 2017, saying it was in the best interests of
the sport.
Kerry Perry, chief executive officer of USA Gymnastics since
December, apologized last month to hundreds of female athletes
sexually abused by Nassar and told a U.S. House of Representatives
subcommittee hearing "those days are over."
A third official, Rhonda Faehn, who was the women's program director
of USA Gymnastics and was dismissed last month, also is scheduled to
testify Tuesday.
(Reporting by Makini Brice; Additional reporting by Ben Klayman in
Detroit; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |