Larry Nassar in Eaton County Court in Charlotte, United States, February 5, 2018. REBECCA COOK / REUTERS
The Larry Nassar affair caused an international earthquake. It continues to shake the world of gymnastics: the American government announced Tuesday April 23 that it would pay nearly 139 million dollars (138.7) to the victims sexually assaulted by this former national team doctor.
Read also | Sexual assault: victims of Larry Nassar reach compensation agreement with American sports authorities
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Mr. Nassar is currently serving a life prison sentence after being convicted in 2017 and 2018 for two decades of sexual violence against more than 250 gymnasts, often minors. Among his many victims, we include Olympic champion Simone Biles, who attacked the American administration with a hundred other gymnasts, accusing the FBI of negligence.
Because the first accusations against him were transmitted in July 2015 to the local FBI office in Indianapolis. But the investigation was quickly abandoned and it took another report, in May 2016, for the federal police to launch new investigations.
“The other victims and I were betrayed by every institution that was supposed to protect us”estimated former Olympic champion McKayla Maroney in 2022, targeting not only the FBI, but also the American federation, the Olympic Committee and the Department of Justice.
“These allegations should have been taken seriously from the start”recognized Benjamin Mizer, a deputy at the Ministry of Justice. “While these settlements will not undo the harm Mr. Nassar inflicted, we hope they will help victims of his crimes get the critical support they need to continue their healing.” »
“Fundamental errors”
In July 2021, a report from the general inspection of the Ministry of Justice concluded that “fundamental errors” from the agents responsible for the initial investigation. A former osteopath and therapist, Mr. Nassar served as national medical coordinator for the USA Gymnastics Federation between 1996 and 2014. He also practiced at Michigan State University and club gymnastics, where he performed numerous times. victims.
Since his conviction, he was stabbed in prison in July 2023, an attack which he survived. His name remains associated with the biggest sexual assault scandal in gymnastics history, which completely changed the sport.
In the United States, the various financial compensations paid to the victims of the ex-doctor amount in total to more than a billion dollars, including 500 million by the State University of Michigan and 380 million by the federation gymnastics. Since this unprecedented affair, gymnasts from all over the world have spoken out to denounce abusive practices, revealing a toxic culture within their discipline.
The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and even France: a cascade of revelations have taken place in recent years, denouncing decades of physical and psychological violence. This led the International Gymnastics Federation to adopt a new code of conduct in June 2022 to protect gymnasts against these practices.
Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Sexual assault: Doctor Nassar and the complicit silences of American gymnastics
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2024-04-23 19:14:15
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