Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Aly Raisman filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court on Wednesday, February 28, alleging negligence by the U.S. Olympic Committee and U.S.A Gymnastics for failing to ensure that the appropriate protocols were followed in regards to monitoring Larry Nassar. Her lawsuit states that the sexual abuse committed by Nassar occurred during competitions and training, and that the organizations named in her suit were responsible for Raisman’s and other young athletes’ safety at these events.
Nassar pleaded guilty to sexually abusing seven girls in November 2017 and was sentenced to 40 to 175 years for multiple sex crimes. He was also sentenced in February to 40 to 125 years for criminal sexual conduct at a gymnastics center in Michigan. Nassar spent almost 30 years at U.S.A. Gymnastics and was eventually fired after multiple complaints about his behavior. He also continued to work at Michigan State University through the fall of 2016.
More than 150 girls and women, including Raisman, described sexual abuse by Nassar during his sentencing hearing in January. In her complaint, Raisman details the depression, anxiety, and fear stemming from Nassar’s abuse. “I refuse to wait any longer for these organizations to do the right thing,” Raisman said.
Additional Reading:
Aly Raisman Files Lawsuit Against USOC and USA Gymnastics, Time (March 2, 2018)
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