Category: parents

Amanda Thomashow reported Nassar to MSU in 2014

Amanda Thomashow was the first woman to file an official Title IX complaint (2014) against Nassar accusing him of violating the school’s sexual harassment policy. …

In an investigative report prepared in response to her complaint, the school’s Title IX coordinator called Nassar’s methods a “liability” that exposed patients to unnecessary trauma. But that’s not what the school told Thomashow.

We cannot find that the conduct was of a sexual nature. Thus, it did not violate the sexual harassment policy.”

MSU ultimately sided with Nassar, concluding that his methods were medically appropriate. And, according to documents obtained by CNN, MSU gave Nassar and Thomashow different versions of that investigative report. Her version did not include the Title IX coordinator’s concerns. …

She filed a complaint against Larry Nassar in 2014. Nothing happened

MSU maintains that “no official there believed Nassar committed sexual abuse until newspapers began reporting on the allegations in the summer of 2016”.

MSU bungled Amanda’s complaint, investigation and report(s) in several ways. Ways that look like a cover-up to me.

Miss Val – in defence of Gymnastics

Miss Val is angry.

Millions of people around the world are angry.

I can’t stop thinking about the 158 victims who came forward to give their impact statements in the sentencing of Larry Nassar. …

I have been asked many times,

“Why would parents put their kids in gymnastics now?”

The answer is crystal clear. Gymnastics is not the culprit. Gymnastics is a master class on life skills.

Gymnastics teaches discipline, focus, and attention to detail. Gymnastics hones courage to face fear head on. Gymnastics teaches the importance of thorough preparation. Gymnastics teaches perseverance, as there’s no one to pass the ball to when things get tough. Gymnastics demands that one learns how to finish. Gymnastics teaches one to dare to dream as none of the skills learned in gymnastics are innate in us. Gymnastics is the perfect combination of athletics and performance. … 

Gymnastics: The Ultimate Master Class

 

Twistars parent – not quitting

My Kid Loves Gymnastics. I Love My Kid. Now What?

Most competitive gymnasts in most clubs are training as usual. Getting ready for their upcoming competitions.

Twistars — at least for now — is no different.

alternatives to USAG

What happens if USAG is decertified?

What if they go broke due to lawsuits?

Tony Retrosi:

On social media there have been many people and groups calling for the decertification by the USOC of USA Gymnastics. If The USOC decides to decertify USAG all that means is that USAG will NOT be determining the Olympic Team.

USAG can still run the JO and Excel Program. They can still run educational workshops, congresses and conferences. BUT- if USAG does get decertified by the USOC, they may have lost the confidence of the American public and they will probably cease to exist.

What would our gyms do  then?

We would continue doing what we do. Teaching gymnastics. We would associate ourselves with a different association.

I met this with with the President of the USAIGC to learn about their program and for my gymThe USAIGC seems to be our best alternative. …

Gymnastics Clubs in the USA- Where Do We Go From Here?

Personally, I much prefer J.O. to the U.S. Independent Gymnastics Clubs WAG program.

Better would be launching a replacement for USAG.

USA Gymnastics, for example.

Open and transparent. Ethical. Safe.

One that might attract back sponsors to the sport.

related – some Clubs have not changed any policies in the wake of the Nassar crimes. That’s a big mistake.

timeline of the Nassar fallout

After more than 150 impact statements from survivors over a period of seven days in a Lansing, Michigan, courthouse, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina sentenced Nassar to 40 to 175 years in prison; Nassar had already been handed a 60-year sentence after pleading guilty to charges relating to child pornography.  …

If those 150 brave women had not come forward, not been the lead on U.S. media, I’m not sure whether USAG, NCAA, MSU and the USOC would have taken the actions they did.

The impact statements were essential in moving forwards.

Read a timeline of events on FloGymnastics.

House passes sexual abuse reporting bill

Good news.

The House passed legislation on Monday to force athletic organizations to swiftly report sexual abuse and establish preventative policies following the sentencing of former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.

Lawmakers of both parties overwhelmingly supported the bill in the 406-3 vote. It now heads to the Senate …

The Hill

Recall that Steve Penny, Mary Lou Retton and others from U.S.A. Gymnastics met with Feinstein in early 2017 to tell her that gymnastics was “a happy, safe place“.

Andrew Fuller #MeToo

Andrew Fuller, a gymnast who competes in trampoline and tumbling events, has accused former USA Gymnastics coach Dr. George Drew of drugging and abusing him while Fuller was training in Michigan. …

Deadspin

Steven Legendre on salvaging USAG

As many of you know, I was elected to the USAG Board of Directors on January 1st, just under 1 month ago. I was asked to resign just a few days ago, at the request of the USOC with the option to be re-elected to my same position on the new board should my fellow Athlete Representatives feel I am deserving of that role.

I have submitted my letter of resignation to USAG already, but I would like you all to know that this in no way means that I am resigning from my duties to help our sport and be a strong voice that creates the change we so desperately need. …

… a hot topic.

The debate as to whether we can salvage the infrastructure of USAG and create positive change through comprehensive leadership changes, or that the organization is so far gone, so far rotted from the inside, that this is not possible. This is a tough one and I certainly see both opinions on this …

read the entire post on Facebook

related – What’s next for USA Gymnastics? A long, tough road at best

USA Gymnastics faces lawsuits in Georgia, California and Michigan alleging its leaders failed to stop coaches and other officials from sexually abusing young athletes. And the first of those suits is headed for trial in April unless a settlement is reached. Either way, it is likely to be costly.

John Legend, Chrissy Teigen donate $200k

On Saturday evening, the pair gave a $200K donation to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund and if that wasn’t a generous enough feat, check this out—the duo wrote that they gave the money, “on behalf of the heroic gymnasts of the USA Gymnastics Team.” …

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen Give $200,000 to Time’s Up on Behalf of Team USA Gymnasts

sexual abuse by physicians

It’s far more common than we would have guessed.

… In a new survey of nearly 500 women conducted by Women’s Health and the anti–sexual violence group RAINN (the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network), 27 percent said they’d been violated by a doctor—reporting everything from lewd comments to masturbation, inappropriate touching, and even rape. …

First, Do No Harm