Category: ethics

Bridget Sloan interview

She talks about choosing Florida … over Utah and Georgia. Bridget Sloan won 3 Championships with the Gators. Everyone expected her to go to Georgia.

She speaks about her coach Marvin Sharp for the first time.

When she first heard about his suicide in 2015 — while a College Gymnastics superstar — she was confused and angry. Bridget broke her phone in frustration.

Her Mom thought she should come home to Indiana. Bridget refused.

Her parents felt betrayed too.

In fact, she felt guilty that she’d had such a good career with Marvin Sharp. Good memories over the 20 years. Bridget was not a victim of her coach. She looked up to Marvin as a second father.

At the time Bridget decided to stay quiet. She did speak to Sam Peszek about it at the time. Sam had also trained with Marvin Sharp after the Olympics.

Listen on the I Have Cool Friends podcast.

View this post on Instagram

Annnd it's here… the last & final bonus episode of the I Have Cool Friends podcast featuring @BridgetSloan is out! We tell stories about training together, the Olympics, & college gymnastics. She even answers fan questions and opens up about our former coach, Marvin, for the first time. It's a really raw episode sharing things we've only talked about with each other. I couldn't be more proud of Bridge & the person she is today. She's loyal, caring, funny, & always answers my Facetime no matter what time it is (including this morning). I'm so lucky to have her as one of my cool friends. . To listen, go to the link in my bio or download it on iTunes or Android. Thanks to our sponsors @tumbltrak @destiraleotards

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Nassar abused his friend’s 6-yr-old

The criminal doctor’s victimized the daughter of a close family friend. It started when Kyle Stephens was age-6.

She was not a gymnast. This was not fake medical treatments.

Kyle’s father refused to believe her. As a result, she hated her father for years. They finally reconciled before his death.

Very ill, Kyle’s Dad took his own life in 2016.

Kyle Stephens was first to testify.

Listen to episode 8 online. But know that it’s disturbing.

Tsukaharas cleared of harassment charges

The sport’s governing body reinstated Chieko Tsukahara and her husband and association vice president Mitsuo Tsukahara after an independent committee concluded that while there were “a lot of inappropriate points lacking in consideration,” the two committed no acts that could be subject to punishment. …

Gymnastics association lifts officials’ suspension 

USAG files for bankruptcy protection

… This filing will enable USA Gymnastics to continue to support its athletes, to fully operate and meet its responsibilities to the entire membership and to expeditiously resolve the claims made by the survivors of sexual abuse perpetrated by Larry Nassar. …

The survivors’ claims against USA Gymnastics are covered by insurance previously purchased by USA Gymnastics, and the amount of available insurance proceeds available is not affected by the Chapter 11 filing. Apart from these insurance proceeds, USA Gymnastics has no other significant assets that could be used to pay claims. USA Gymnastics believes that the Bankruptcy Court is the best forum in which to implement appropriate procedures to equitably determine and allocate the insurance proceeds among claimants, allowing compensation to survivors to proceed more quickly than litigation filed in multiple courts around the country. …

USA Gymnastics files for reorganization under Chapter 11 of Bankruptcy Code

FIG under Watanabe

Inside the Games has an overview article posted in conjunction with the FIG Congress Baku.

Parkour, Athletes’ Commission, Fujitsu judging support system, Gymnastics Ethics Foundation, and more.

Most member nations are in Baku as FIG is funding most of the travel costs.

UNICEF – Protect Children from Risks in Sport

In July 2010, the United Nations Children’s Fund (“UNICEF”) reported that: “During recent years, however, it has become evident that sport is not always a safe space for children, and that the same types of violence and abuse sometimes found in families and communities can also occur in sport and play programmes. …

On Nov. 20, 2018, declared World Children’s Day, UNICEF released its first-ever youth sports guidelines, in a document called Children’s Rights in Sport Principles …

Expectations for Sports Organizations, Educational Institutions, and Coaches:

Commit to Respect and Support the Rights of Children

Consider Balanced Growth of Children through Sports

Protect Children from the Risks of Sports

Protect the Health of Children

Develop Governance System to Protect the Rights of Children

Ensure Understanding and Engagement by Adults Involved with Children and Sports

UNICEF Targets Abuses in Youth Sports Globally

The report mentions Nassar.

the parents of Nassar victims

… How could the parents of these girls have been in the room while Larry abused their child – and not know it was happening?

… change into loose shorts, lay down on the exam table, on her stomach. Larry would drape her with a towel.

“I would be looking at that as, ‘Oh, he’s respecting her modesty by covering her.’ ”

… Kaylee had tried to tell her mom about Larry five years ago, when she was just 13.

Right after her third appointment with Larry. …

Believed – The Parents

Thema Williams compensated $200,000

… the judge ordered the TTGF (Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation) to compensate Williams for its decision to withdraw her from representing this country in the 2016 Rio Olympics, and instead replace her with Canadian-born alternate Marisa Dick. …

TT Gymnastics Federation ordered to compensate Thema Williams

I’m surprised to see this ruling.

In many sports any athlete can be replaced by Federations for many reasons. Can a judge rule on whether or not an athlete should be withdrawn?

That said, I was in Rio for the Olympic Test Meet podium training. Thema did not look injured to me at the time.

TTGF might appeal, of course. I doubt they have $200k in the bank.

related – Justice for Thema: Gymnast wins lawsuit against TTGF