Amanda Thomashow accused Nassar 2014

He was interviewed by police for two and a half hours. And talked his way out of it.

Amanda’s complaint also triggered a Title IX investigation.

After less than three months on leave from his job at Michigan State University, Larry was allowed back to work. With conditions. He’d have to follow basic medical guidelines: wear gloves, get consent, have a chaperone in the room. In other words, really basic things that any doctor working with minors in their private areas should do.

But nobody at MSU ever actually checked to see if Larry’s doing any of those things.

That means young girls and women kept streaming into Larry’s treatment rooms…not just at MSU, but at USA Gymnastics and local gyms, and a nearby high school. Even at his home, where Larry “treated” patients on a massage table in his basement.

Some 70 survivors say they were abused by Larry after MSU cleared him to go back to work.

NPR BELIEVED – Gaslighting Season 1, Episode 4

The criminal doctor did not contradict what Amanda said. Rather he stuck to the story that it was valid medical treatment.

related – Everyone Believed Larry Nassar The predatory trainer may have just taken down USA Gymnastics. How did he deceive so many for so long?

via GymCastic

will USOC end USAG?

I thought USAG would be forced to declare bankruptcy after the first lawsuit found them guilty of being complicit in the crimes of their team Doctor.

That could still happen. But they may lose status as the National Governing Body for gymnastics in the United States first.

US Olympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland:

“Today the United States Olympic Committee has filed a complaint initiating a Section 8 proceeding against USA Gymnastics, seeking to revoke USAG’s recognition as a member National Governing Body of the USOC. This is a situation in which there are no perfect solutions. Seeking to revoke recognition is not a conclusion that we have come to easily. …

USOC Statement Regarding Action To Revoke USA Gymnastics’ Recognition As Member National Governing Body

USAG responded:

USA Gymnastics Board of Directors message to the USA Gymnastics membership

I need Spencer to tell me what to think. Jessica to tell me what to feel.

This is the burn it all down scenario.

On the up side, it would be a completely fresh start.

On the down side, gymnasts and coaches may be hurt due to unintended consequences in the transition to an ALL NEW organization.

The USOC’s action Monday triggers a process that includes a hearing before a three-person panel. …

The USOC is known to have revoked the recognition or cut off the funding of an NGB only three times — with taekwondo, team handball and modern pentathlon.

USA Today

It will be difficult to defend the actions of the current Board of Directors. Their decision to hire a former politician as CEO was the last straw for me. I can hardly imagine a worse hire.

Oleg Verniaiev qualifies for the AA final

His coach felt he needed to return for Doha, ready or not, in order to prep for Tokyo.

Click PLAY or watch his P Bars on YouTube.

partial list of gymnasts NOT at Europeans

Many of these Seniors, but not all, were taken off teams due to injury. Gymnastics is a dangerous sport.

Rune Hermans BEL
Julie Meyers BEL
Nora Fernandez ESP
Sophie Scheder GER
Becky Downie GBR
Zsófia Kovács HUN
Lilja Olafsdottir ISL
Ofir Kremer ISR
Meitar Lavy ISR
Shailee Weiss ISR
Eythora Thorsdottir NED
Maria Kharenkova RUS
Viktoria Komova RUS
Anamaria Ocolișan ROM
Rafaela Ferreira POR
Klara Kopec POL
Lynn Genhart SUI
Giulia Steingruber SUI

via Wikipedia

Zsófia Kovács, for example, has a strange abdominal tear. She’s hoping to recover in time for Worlds.

Trampolinist Izzy Weall – TEDx talk

Very well spoken.

Isabelle Weall is a 14-year-old (now 15) quadruple amputee from Derby, England.

She got Meningitis in September 2010 aged 7 which left her with part of all four of her limbs having to be amputated. However, she doesn’t let this stop her. Isabelle attends mainstream school, competes in trampolining, and has her own YouTube channel where she shares videos about life as a quadruple amputee. …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Mike Outram – paralyzed Gymnastics coach

Tony Retrosi:

At the NO LIMITS Camp in Calgary Mike coached Beam. Immediately after that we headed down to Lethbridge Alberta to do a Boys Camp. Watching him break a skill down and explaining drills is a thing of beauty. He is a bit shaky when he walks but his confidence in the gym more than makes up for it. Give this man a cape and call him a superhero.

Mike Outram (second from the left) is a character. If you’ve met him once, you remember him.

I recall first hearing that Mike had been paralyzed from hitting concrete at the bottom of a foam pit coming off tramp. Hearing that he’d never walk again.

This tragedy was big news in Canada. Everyone checked their pits to see if any concrete could be somehow exposed.

Some months later Mike unexpectedly arrived at a Gymnastics event. He walked in through an open side door of the Gym.

… I thought you were paralyzed?

Mike: That’s what they tell me.

It’s an incredible story. The power of the mind over the body. Mike’s still improving. Click over to GymMomentum.

My Journey and What I Learned from Gymnastics. Mr. Michael Outram

Manrique Larduet mini-documentary

Watch a fantastic and emotional edit featuring best friend and teammate Randy Leru, his coach, Erick Lopez and others.

Manrique was injured 3 days before the Rio Olympics. But competed anyway.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube (Spanish). Click CC for captions.

via Gymternet Clan

the science of flexibility

One scientist says tendons and ligaments can get longer.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Gymnast Crossing)

Welsh gymnast Lucy Ellis has died

Only 16-years-old. A tragedy.

Doctors diagnosed the teenager with sepsis – a condition triggered by an infection or injury that causes the body to attack tissues and organs – and warned the family that she was gravely unwell.

In a last-ditch attempt to save her, a team from the Royal Brompton Hospital in London were called in via helicopter with a specialist piece of equipment … – but it was too late.

Heartbroken dad who lost teen daughter to sepsis says it is ‘scandalous’ specialist machines aren’t available in Wales