The sexual assault scandal rocked gymnastics – but has pace of change in the sport been too slow?
A decade after the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal first came to light, survivors and advocates warn that the pace of change in gymnastics remains too slow, with systemic issues still unaddressed.
It has been 10 years since the Indianapolis Star published allegations of sexual abuse against Larry Nassar, the former team doctor for USA Gymnastics. The revelations led to hundreds of women coming forward with their own allegations against Nassar, who also worked at Michigan State University, resulting in his conviction and imprisonment.
The exposure of his crimes sparked a wider investigation into how gymnastics globally had allowed predators to abuse young athletes. While Nassar represented the worst recorded case, it emerged that many other countries had questions to answer about their failure to protect victims from sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.
At the World Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, survivors and advocates gathered on a houseboat near the Ahoy Arena, raising concerns about the slow pace of change in the sport a decade after the scandal broke.
Courtroom impact
The impact of the Nassar case was seismic, particularly due to Judge Rosemarie Aquilina's decision to allow his victims to speak in her courtroom. Over seven days, 169 people delivered emotionally charged testimonies about Nassar's abuse and its impact.
I know, dealing with so many victims, that when they speak publicly you see them shed their pain and get taller. You see them have a relief, an automatic release.
Aquilina sentenced Nassar to up to 175 years in jail, with additional federal and state convictions totaling 300 years to life. Among those who testified were Olympic gold medalists Aly Raisman and Simone Biles, who had previously revealed her victimhood on social media.
Global awakening
Two years after Nassar's sentencing, the documentary 'Athlete A' was released, focusing on the traditional coaching system of compliance, fear, and silence that enabled Nassar's abuse. The film opened global floodgates of similar revelations.
Kim Shore, a former Canadian gymnast and Gymnastics Canada board member, described her reaction: 'I was floored, understanding: "OK, I wasn't a bad kid, I wasn't a bad gymnast, this is why I was treated that way, it's endemic."'
Eloise Jotischky, who won Britain's first civil case against British Gymnastics, compared the sport's environment to 'a cult in a lot of ways' and 'a coercively controlling relationship in a domestic setting,' noting the isolation of young athletes and the duty of care issues.
Reforms and resistance
The Nassar case triggered reforms in the US, including the FBI acknowledging its handling was 'inexcusable' and the establishment of the US Center for SafeSport. USA Gymnastics adopted 70 recommendations from an independent report and created an Athlete Bill of Rights.
In Britain, an independent review led by Anne Whyte QC found that physical and emotional abuse were systemic, prompting British Gymnastics to launch a 40-point plan with a zero-tolerance approach to abuse.
Despite these measures, Claire Heafford, who founded Gymnasts for Change, noted that 'Athlete A showed that gymnastics was a coercively controlling environment built on control and power,' suggesting that many still believe such treatment is necessary for success.
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