On January 23, Icelandic media site Nútíminn first shared her story. She told IG that she received more interview requests, but agreed to one televised interview with RÚV, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. …
Óðinsdóttir, who turned 23 on November 3, said is considering filing police reports in Germany and in the country where the gymnast resides. Óðinsdóttir said the Icelandic Gymnastics Federation (FSÍ), only recently notified of the incident, has been very supportive.
“We will support her in the steps she decides to take next,” FSÍ chairman Arnar Ólafsson, told RÚV.
Óðinsdóttir did not identify the individual she said assaulted her or the precise competition where she said it occurred, but she competed at the FIG World Cup event held in Cottbus, Germany, in November 2016 …
Category: safety
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 …
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. …
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 …
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
In praise of The Indianapolis Star
In April 2016, a few instances of nearby schools failing to report child abuse caught the attention of the investigations team at The Indianapolis Star. The journalists wondered how often it happened, and why.
As one of the reporters, Marisa Kwiatkowski, looked into it, a source tipped her off to a lawsuit accusing U.S.A. Gymnastics, which is based in Indianapolis, of the same behavior. Later that day, The Star put her on an airplane to Effingham County, Ga., fearful that the records would soon be sealed.
She returned with almost 1,000 pages of documents. She and two other reporters, Mark Alesia and Tim Evans, dug in. …
NYT – Belatedly, The Indianapolis Star Gets Its Due for Gymnastics Investigation
Lauren Hopkins on Nassar
A different perspective on how that con man fooled so many people for so long.
The first time I got a message from Larry Nassar, I felt honored. I was a college student just beginning what would eventually become a career writing about gymnastics. In the gym world, I was nobody. And the world-famous doctor for the U.S. women’s national gymnastics team wanted to talk to me?
… I am not a gymnast. Nassar never treated me, and every in-person exchange we shared was professional and friendly. I never wondered why he “chose” me to be his gossip buddy, but I loved all of the inside intel he gave me. And, like thousands of others, when I first heard about sexual abuse accusations against him, I thought, “Larry?! No way.” …
Larry Nassar Was A Master Manipulator, But He Didn’t Act Alone
Lauren is one of the experts being consulted by general media.
another Trampoline park death
OBVIOUSLY these pay for play facilities should be banned. They are too dangerous.
Extreme Air Park, a trampoline facility, in Richmond, B.C.
“Staff had no idea what to do and I called 911,” claimed eyewitness Karm Layegh on Facebook. …
… A man named Austin Dremeneau replied online to Bouzakis, appearing to speak on behalf of Extreme Air Park and claiming medical emergency protocol was followed. …
“What I am questioning is did the man have a fighting chance after his injury? Was there proper protocol in place prior and enough qualified staff on duty to execute that action that needed to be done in this case?” stated Bouzakis on Facebook. …
Father of three dies at Richmond’s Extreme Air Park trampoline facility
USAG Board resigns en masse
I believe it had to be done. In fact, this may not be enough.
It might be better and easier to start over with a brand new Gymnastics USA organization. Trust and sponsorships might be restored more quickly.
Yes I know some of those Board members are wonderful people who will be badly missed during the impending vacuum.
