Larry Nasser

DePaul Journal of Sports Law
Volume 16 Article 6
Issue 1 Spring 2020
The Larry Nassar Nightmare: Athletic Organizational Failures to

Address Sexual Assault Allegations and a Call for Corrective
Action
Heather Udowitch
Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/jslcp
Part of the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Commons
Recommended Citation
Heather Udowitch, The Larry Nassar Nightmare: Athletic Organizational Failures to Address Sexual
Assault Allegations and a Call for Corrective Action, 16 DePaul J. Sports L. & Contemp. Probs. (2020)
Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/jslcp/vol16/iss1/6
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93 DePaul J. Sports Law, Volume 16, Issue 1
I. INTRODUCTION*
A. Research Goal
Lawrence (Larry) Nassar, a once credible, respected physician – who treated thousands of
premiere athletes – is now known as a one of the most infamous individuals in American sports
history. While building his professorial career as a doctor with USA Gymnastics (USAG),
Michigan State University (MSU), and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), Nassar
was sexually assaulting hundreds of individuals under the guise of medical treatment. USAG,
MSU, and the USOC all contributed to the flawed system that refused to listen to the athletes
who reported Nassar in addition to help him maintain his status. Through the silence of
numerous professionals among the listed institutions, Nassar’s sexual assault occurred for
decades and his employment continued without consequence.
After hundreds of athletes came forward, and people finally listened, Nassar’s reign of
sexual assault finally was exposed and came to an end. On December 7, 2017, Nassar was
sentenced to 60 years in prison after being convicted of federal child pornography charges.1 On
January 24, 2018 he was sentenced to an additional 40-175 years in prison for seven counts of
criminal sexual assault. Lastly, on February 5, 2018, he was sentenced to another 40-125 years
in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of criminal sexual conduct.2 These harsh and
deserving sentences come after decades of Nassar’s sexual assault and will be served
concurrently.3 If Nassar surpasses a normal life expectancy and exceeds the minimum 40-year
imprisonment, then his time in in-state prison will be extended to 175 years.4
This paper will discuss the inquires of how and why USAG, MSU, and the USOC failed
to properly investigate and take corrective action as a result of Nassar’s actions. This will
include a description of the powerful individuals who worked with or oversaw Nassar, how they
received complaints of his sexual assault, and an explanation of the institutional environment that
fostered a culture of silence and absolute obedience. To provide a comparative analysis, this
paper will analyze other athletic organizations (such as USA Swimming and USA Diving) which
are also overseen by the USOC in order to compare their previous cases and reactions to sexual
assault. This will be followed by recommended corrective policies for athletic organizations5 if
claims of sexual assault arise. These policies and procedures will aim to prevent sexual assault
* M.S.L.B. Candidate, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, 2021; B.S. Business
Marketing, Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University, 2019. Heather would like to take this
opportunity to thank her thesis supervisor, Arizona State University (“ASU”) law professor Myles V. Lynk, ASU
adjunct law professor Dana Hooper, and ASU Senior Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator
Deana Garner-Smith for their support, advice, and comments in the preparation of this article.
1
Eric Levenson, Larry Nassar apologizes, gets 40 to 125 years for decades of sexual abuse, CNN (Feb. 5, 2018,
2:17 PM), https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/05/us/larry-nassar-sentence-eaton/index.html
2
Levenson, supra note 1.
3
Alanna Vagianos, Larry Nassar Appeals Second Sexual Assault Sentence, HUFFINGTON POST (Aug. 9, 2018, 11:00
AM), https://www.huffpost.com/entry/larry-nassar-appeals-sexual-assault-sentence_n_5b6c3f82e4b0bdd06206ec8f
4
Scott Cacciola & Victor Mather, Larry Nassar Sentencing: ‘I Just Signed Your Death Warrant’, NY. TIMES (Jan.
24, 2018), https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/24/sports/larry-nassar-sentencing.html
5
Athletic organization/organization- The term ‘athletic organization’ and ‘organization’ is used in this context to
include athletic National Governing Bodies (NGBs), university athletic departments, the United States Olympic
Committee (USOC), and other similar entities.

in the future, reduce any culture of silence and vulnerability within similar organizations, and
hopefully be implemented throughout athletic organizations everywhere.
If an athletic organization confronts an issue of sexual assault amongst its personnel, it is
critical that there be sound policies in place to assist in navigating this challenging situation. If
USAG, MSU, and/or the USOC had such policies and properly implemented them, would the
lives of hundreds of athletes who were sexually assaulted been different? Would Nassar have
gotten away with his crimes? After all, Nassar’s sexual assault was reported as early as 1992 and
continued until he was charged in 2016.6 Throughout his professional career, he was
consistently promoted within USAG and MSU, regardless of the athletes that periodically
reported their cases of sexual assault. Numerous professionals within these major organizations
received various complaints regarding Nassar’s strange behavior, but corrective action was never
utilized to put an end to the assaults. These stakeholders enabled an individual to continue
employment by dismissing victim’s accusations, thus demonstrating a failure within these
organizations.
In order to seek prevention of sexual assault in the future and hold individuals
accountable for their actions or inactions, athletic organizations (especially when working with
minors) must have policies in place for how to properly handle claims of sexual assault. The
policies and procedures proposed herein will hopefully be a guideline of protection for all
stakeholders involved within athletic organizations and eliminate the opportunity for sexual
assault. My policies should educate administration on how to properly handle these intimidating
situations as well as work as a verification system to keep athletes safe.
B. Research Methodology
In order to pursue research for this study, I was certified by Arizona State University’s
Institutional Review Board (IRB) to conduct personal interviews. All interviews were pursuit to
the conditions set by the IRB. With this approval, I conducted eight interviews with various
gymnasts, former gymnasts, administrators, and a team physician. These individuals are listed in
Appendix B. In addition to the individuals listed, I spoke with other gymnasts, former gymnasts,
and an attorney who were initially very supportive and willing to be interviewed for this paper.
Subsequently, due to various issues including but not limited to, anxiety and emotional distress
that they have suffered from personal experiences with Nassar, on-going litigation, and other
such challenges they declined to participate. In addition to conducting the interviews, I utilized
literature research material such as articles, reports, one documentary, and one pamphlet.
II. BACKGROUND OF LARRY NASSAR

A. Career Overview
Larry Nassar graduated from University of Michigan in 1985 with his undergraduate
degree in Kinesiology (the study of human movement).7 While in college, he volunteered at a
6
Dan Murphy, Four new complaints filed against Larry Nassar, including one dating to ’92, ESPN (Apr. 19, 2017),
https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/19191934/new-complaints-larry-nassar-allege-sexual-abuse-dates-1992
7
Kim Kozlowski, How MSU doc became suspect in dozens of rapes, THE DETROIT NEWS (Aug. 10, 2017, 12:35
PM), https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/08/10/rise-fall-larry-nassar/104491508/

high school and participated in charity work for his local church. Through this service, he began
to gain a credible reputation within the Lansing, Michigan community. In 1986, he became an
athletic trainer for USA Gymnastics (USAG), where he volunteered at major competitions such
as the Pan American Games in 1987 and the Olympic Trials in 1988.8 In 1988, Nassar continued
to work closely with gymnastics as he began working at a club gym, Great Lakes Gymnastics
Club (Great Lakes).9 Through his work at Great Lakes he began to work with gymnastics coach
John Geddert, whom he met through their mutual friend, Kathie Klages.10 Klages and Geddert
coached together and were known for producing high-performing gymnasts, some of whom
ended up competing competitively for Michigan State University (MSU) at the Division 1 level.
Therefore, it was no surprise in 1990 when Klages became the head coach of MSU Women’s
Gymnastics Team.11
Within Great Lakes, Nassar had his own treatment room in the back of facility. It was
hidden by the vault and balance beam behind a heavy metal door. Victims have since come
forward describing Nassar’s sexual assault within that treatment room.12 Nassar’s schedule
became hectic as he was enrolled as a medical student in MSU’s College of Osteopathic
Medicine in addition to his twenty hours of volunteer work at Great Lakes.13 Nassar worked at
Great Lakes so often that it even began to jeopardize his medical degree. After two semesters in
medical school, he was expelled, but Geddert came to his aid. Geddert wrote a letter to the dean
of MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine.14 Within the letter, Geddert promised that he would
not allow Nassar to work at the gym until he completed medical school. Following the receipt of
this letter, Nassar was readmitted into MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and was told he
could complete his degree in five years instead of four.15
Nassar graduated from MSU with his osteopathic medical degree in 1993.16 His
reputation was still building within the Michigan community because of his kind, helpful
appearance. This was rare and extremely helpful to athletes, coaches, and parents. Additionally,
his role with USAG began to grow. In 1996, he became the National Medical Coordinator for
USAG and attended his first Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.
That same year, John and Kathryn Geddert opened the esteemed Geddert’s Twistars
Gymnastics Club in Lansing, Michigan where they allowed Nassar to have a treatment room in
the back of the facility to work on their injured athletes.17 In 1997, Nassar completed his sports
8
John Barr & Dan Murphy, Nassar surrounded by adults who enabled his predatory behavior, ESPN (Jan. 16,
2018), https://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/22046031/michigan-state-university-doctor-larry-nassar-
surrounded-enablers-abused-athletes-espn
9
Tim Evans, Joe Guillen, Gina Kaufman, Marisa Kwiatkowski, Matt Mencarini, & Mark Alesia, How Larry Nassar
abused hundreds of gymnasts and eluded justice for decades, INDY STAR (Apr. 4, 2018, 12:59 PM),
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/03/08/larry-nassar-sexually-abused-gymnasts-michigan-state-university-
usa-gymnastics/339051002/
10
Barr & Murphy, supra note 8.
11
Id.
12
Id.
13
Id.
14
Id.
15
Id.
16
Kate Wells, Lawsuit: Nassar abused gymnast while he was still in medical school, MICH. RADIO (Apr. 17, 2017),
https://www.michiganradio.org/post/lawsuit-nassar-abused-gymnast-while-he-was-still-medical-school
17

medicine fellowship and became a team physician and assistant professor at MSU.18 At this
time, his professional career began to take off as he held significant roles at USAG, MSU, local
club gyms, and high schools. Nassar worked with USAG until he retired from the organization
in 2015.19 At this time, he was still employed by MSU and treating various individuals.
In August 2016, The Indianapolis Star published an investigation into USAG regarding
the organization’s handlings of sexual abuse complaints over a period of decades.20 Later that
month, sexual assault survivor Rachel Denhollander filed a criminal complaint against Nassar
with the MSU Police claiming that he sexually assaulted her in 2000 while treating her for lower
back pain. In September 2016, The Indianapolis Star and Rachel Denhollander publicly accused
Nassar of sexual assault. About one week later, he was fired from MSU.21 And then, it was the
awakening of the complaints, investigations, and charges of sexual assault against Nassar.
A congressional report that was recently released by Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) and
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) confirmed that USAG, MSU, the USOC, and the FBI all
“knowingly concealed abuse by Nassar, leading to the abuse of dozens of additional amateur
athletes,”22 Further, the report detailed that for more than two decades over 300 athletes were
abused by Nassar because of ineffective oversight by Olympic organizations. “The Olympic
Committee, USA Gymnastics, and MSU all received reports about Nassar’s abuse more than a
year before anything was done.”23 In response to these findings, Senator Blumenthal and
Senator Moran have introduced the Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act, which
aims to improve protection of sexual assault and increase oversight for athletes.24
The report confirmed that the FBI, USAG, and the USOC “had opportunities to stop
Nassar but failed to do so,” additionally, the FBI “failed to protect victims and enable their abuse
through institutional inaction.”25 More specifically, it describes how the FBI did not pursue the
investigation about Nassar with vigor and USAG concealed Nassar’s crimes.26 With that being
said, this thesis will focus on the institutions that employed Nassar to work with athletes or
students; USAG, MSU, and the USOC.
B. The Accusations, Trials, and Sentencings
In 2016, everything changed when Rachel Denhollander publicly accused Nassar of
sexual assault in a report published in The Indianapolis Star.27 The newspaper had previously
18
Dwight Adams, Victims share what Larry Nassar did to them under the guide of medical treatment, THE INDY
STAR (May 24, 2018, 1:12 PM), https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/01/25/heres-what-larry-nassar-actually-
did-his-patients/1065165001/
19
20
Eric Levenson, How the Indy Star and Rachel Denhollander took down Larry Nassar, CNN (Jan. 25, 2018, 5:27
PM), https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/25/us/larry-nassar-indy-star/index.html
21
22
Sarah Fitzpatrick, Tom Costello, & Adiel Kaplan, Congress: U.S. Olympic Committee, FBI failed to protect
athletes from Larry Nassar’s abuse, NBC NEWS (July 30, 2019, 4:13 AM),
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/congress-u-s-olympic-committee-fbi-failed-protect-athletes-larry-
n1035751
23
Fitzpatrick, Costello, & Kaplan, supra note 22.
24
Id.
25
Id.
26
Id.
27

published an article describing USAG and its failure to follow up on sexual assault complaints
from coaches that had occurred for decades. In fact, the article asserted that the organization
executed a massive cover up. Denhollander read the article and began to reflect on her
experience with Nassar.28 For the first time, she felt like others might believe her for accusing
Nassar of sexual assault, so she decided to share her story with The Indianapolis Star. She sent
her story to Mark Alesia, a writer at The Indianapolis Star.29 More reporters for The Indianapolis
Star began to interview more individuals, including Olympic Champion Jamie Dantzscher, who
outlined a very similar story regarding her experience with Nassar.30 With multiple complaints,
The Indianapolis Star published an article in September 2016, exposing Nassar for his abusive
treatments in addition to accusing USAG for covering up allegations about his assaults.31
On August 29, 2016, Denhollander filed a criminal complaint against Nassar. The next
day, MSU relieved him of all clinical and patient duties.32 When investigators initially brought
him in for questioning, Nassar defended himself and stated his confusion at these accusations.
He described intravaginal penetration as a legitimate technique that he even lectured on as a
credible physician.33
One month later, MSU fired Nassar as an associate professor within the College of
Osteopathic Medicine.34 By the end of November 2016, officials had received approximately
fifty complaints regarding Nassar’s sexual assaults.35 Therefore, Nassar was charged in Ingham
County, Michigan with three counts of first-degree sexual conduct. Facing life in prison, Nassar
pleaded not guilty and posted $1 million bail.36 Initially, Nassar appeared to garner public
support. Nassar’s attorney, Shannon Smith, stated: “There are hundreds of people that support
him 100%. We have received countless emails from other doctors, physicians, physical
therapists, ex-patients, and ex-coworkers,”37 Even some of his victims initially defended him
because they truly believed that he cared for them and would never do anything to harm them.
These individuals referred Nassar to their friends. They recalled discussing his treatments with
one another by confirming that the intravaginal penetration was common and that he
administered this treatment regularly.38 Following the posted bail, Nassar attempted to work
with children at Holt High School as part of the school council.39
On December 16, 2016, Nassar was indicted on federal pornography charges. Officials
claimed that in 2004 he attempted to receive, or received, images of child pornography in
28
Id.
29
Id.
30
Id.
31
Id.
32
Id.
33
AT THE HEART OF GOLD (HBO, 2019), https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/catalog.at-the-heart-of-gold-inside-
the-usa-gymnastics-scandal
34
Who is Larry Nassar? A timeline of his decade-long career, sexual assault convictions and prison sentence, USA
TODAY (citing The Indy Star and Lansing State Journal), https://www.usatoday.com/pages/interactives/larry-nassar-
timeline/ (last visited Mar. 26, 2019).
35
USA Today, supra note 34.
36
Id.
37
At the Heart of Gold, supra note 33.
38
Id.
39
Id.

addition to possessing more images between 2003 and 2016.40 An FBI agent later testified that
he found 37,000 images/videos of child pornography within hard drives at Nassar’s home41.
During the sentencing, Judge Janet T. Neff explained the vast number of images found on his
computer was unlike anything she had seen throughout her ten years as a judge.42 “I have a hard
time considering Mr. Nassar a physician because he has so thoroughly violated the role of
physician and healer,” stated Judge Neff.43
After these images were found, the community’s reaction changed drastically. Prior to
this finding, the Michigan community was divided between those who believed Nassar and those
who believed his victims.44 Now, with the substantial evidence of child pornography images,
Nassar’s twisted behavior was confirmed, and the public’s view of the once trustworthy doctor
began to dissipate. On December 21, 2016, Nassar was denied bond.45 One month later,
eighteen victims filed a federal lawsuit against Nassar, USAG, MSU, and Geddert’s Twistars
Gymnastics Club for alleged sexual assault, molestation, harassment, and battery for the years
between 1996 and 2016.46 After this lawsuit, Nassar’s medical license was suspended.
Following, the police in Texas began its own sexual assault investigation. On February 7, 2017,
federal officials added an additional charge against Nassar for destroying images of child
pornography.47 Soon after, MSU suspended Kathie Klages after a woman testified in court that
she notified Klages about Nassar in the late 1990s, but Klages discouraged her from filing a
formal sexual assault complaint.48 The day after this testimony, Klages retired as MSU
Gymnastics Head Coach after serving in the role for twenty-seven years.49 On March 17, 2017,
an MSU Title IX Investigator completed an internal investigation which concluded that Nassar
sexually assaulted a girl, thereby violating university policy. One month later, Nassar’s medical
license was revoked by a state disciplinary board, requiring him to pay $100,000 before
reapplying.50 By June 30, 2017, there were 119 lawsuits from girls and women against Nassar
for sexual assault. On July 11, 2017, he pleaded guilty to three child pornography charges within
a federal court in Grand Rapids, Michigan.51
Later that year, federal lawsuits against Nassar, USAG, MSU, and Geddert’s Twistars
entered a mediation phase. Nassar pleaded guilty to seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual
conduct in Ingham County Circuit Court, Michigan as part of a plea agreement with the
Michigan Attorney General’s Office.52 This deal dismissed other charges but included a
minimum 25-40-year sentence and maximum sentence of life in prison. In a similar plea, Nassar
pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Eaton County Circuit
Court, Michigan as part of another plea agreement with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.
40
41
Id.
42
Debbie Weidmayer & Debbie Miszak, Nassar sentenced to 60 years in federal child pornography cases, THE
STATE NEWS (Dec. 7, 2017), https://statenews.com/article/2017/12/larry-nassar-sentenced
43
Weidmayer and Miszak, supra note 42.
44
45
46
Id.
47
Id.
48
Id.
49
Id.
50
Id.
51
Id.
52
Id.

This plea also dismissed other charges.53 Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette then asked
former MSU President Lou Anna Simon to release the institutions findings on its internal review
investigation. On December 7, 2017, Nassar admitted to the child pornography charges and was
sentenced to 60 years in federal prison.54 Later that month, Olympic champion McKayla
Maroney filed a lawsuit which stated that USAG paid her in late 2016 to sign a non-disclosure
agreement (NDA) to confirm that she would not speak about Nassar’s sexual assault.55 “They
were willing to engage in a systematic cover-up of the entire matter,” announced John Manly,
Maroney’s attorney.56
In a Nevada state court proceeding, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina permitted victim
statements between January 16-24, 2018. What began as eighty-eight individuals willing to
speak transformed into one hundred and fifty-six women who read their personal victim
statements- one-by-one.57 The first victim statement came from Kyle Stephens. Stephens’
testimony was powerful as she described that Nassar’s began sexual assaulting her when she was
just six years old. When she turned twelve, she told her parents about the sexual assault.
Shockingly, her parents did not believe her because Nassar was a close family friend and
credible doctor. When her parents brought the accusations to Nassar, he convinced them that she
was a liar.58 They forced her to apologize to Nassar, which created a major divide within the
family for years to come.59 When Stephens turned eighteen, she told them about the sexual
assault again. This time, her parents believed her. Stephens revealed that her father apologized
to her countless times and later committed suicide.60
In the courthouse, Nassar’s victims described his intravaginal penetration treatments, how
their parents were occasionally in the room during the sexual assault, and how they asked him to
stop to no avail; ironically, some also shared that they had felt honored to be treated by the once
prestigious doctor.61 They continued to explain how Nassar would talk throughout his treatment
sessions, address his victims and their parents during the sexual assaults, get erections, and make
grunting noises.62 Some of his victims believe that Nassar purposely did not properly treat their
injuries so that they would keep coming to him in need of more treatment. Often, victims did not
question if his methods worked because of his strong reputation for treating other successful
athletes.63 In Nassar’s exam room, he had pictures hanging of other women that he had ‘treated’
and -as it turns out- sexually assaulted.64
53
Id.
54
Id.
55
John Barr, Confidentially agreement kept McKayla Maroney from revealing abuse, ESPN (Dec. 20, 2017),
https://www.espn.com/olympics/gymnastics/story/_/id/21825575/usa-gymnastics-struck-agreement-mckayla-
maroney-keep-larry-nassar-abuse-quiet-lawyer-says
56
Barr, supra note 55.
57
58
Brendan McDermid, Victim of ex-USA gymnastics doctor says abuse led to dad’s suicide, REUTERS (Jan. 16,
2018, 1:36 PM), https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gymnastics-usa-nassar/victim-of-ex-usa-gymnastics-doctor-
says-abuse-led-to-dads-suicide-idUSKBN1F52MS
59
McDermid, supra note 58.
60
Lauren Effron, With Larry Nassar sentenced, former family friend says: ’My monster is gone’, ABC NEWS (Jan.
25, 2018, 5:04 PM), https://abcnews.go.com/US/larry-nassar-sentenced-family-friend-monster/story?id=52605521
61
McDermid, supra note 58.
62
63
Id.
64
Vagianos, supra note 3.

One parent, Randall Margraves, father of Laruen and Madison Margraves who were both
sexually assaulted by Nassar, asked the judge to be locked in a room for a few minutes with
Nassar shortly after they spoke.65 After the judge explained that she could not grant him that
permission, he lunged at Nassar and attempted to attack him in the courtroom. He was
handcuffed and led out of court, shouting towards the court to imagine if their children were
sexually assaulted by Nassar and asking them how they would react.66
The public trial forum fostered an atmosphere of dramatic proportions in the courtroom,
all while the cameras rolled- spilling the scene into mass media. Court attendees cheered after
victims read their statements and booed the defense attorneys.67 Nassar’s attorneys and their
families received death threats throughout the trial.68 During the nine days of the victims’
statements, John Geddert was suspended from USAG on January 22, 2018.69 Hours later,
Geddert released a letter to the families of his gym describing that he was preparing to retire.70
Following the victims’ statements and prior to the sentencing, Nassar made a brief
statement describing how his victims’ statements have impacted him deeply.71 “…Your words
had a significant emotional effect on myself and has shaken me to my core. I also recognize that
what I am feeling pales in comparison to the pain, trauma, and emotional destruction that all of
you are feeling. There are no words that can describe the depth and breadth of how sorry I am
for what has occurred. An acceptable apology to all of you is impossible to write and convey,”72
When speaking, Nassar occasionally turned around to address his victims, but Judge Aquilina
demanded that he face her directly.73 Nassar also sent a letter to Judge Aquilina, further
describing his perception of the case. This included how he felt victimized by the victims’
statements. After he finished his statement, Judge Aquilina read portions of this letter. “I was a
good doctor because my treatments worked and those patients that are now speaking out were
the same ones that praised and came back over and over and referred family and friends to see
me. The media convinced them (his victims) that everything I did was wrong and bad…Hell
hath no fury like a woman scorned,”74 The courtroom reacted in gasps and laughter. In his
letter, Nassar also described how he was victimized throughout the trial and manipulated by both
the Attorney General and Judge Aquilina. Judge Aquilina chose not to release the full letter and
later sealed it, stating that it could hurt his victims as he wrote their names and blamed them.75
65
Meghan Keneally & Matthew Stone, Father who lunged at Larry Nassar comforted by deputy who pinned him
down: ‘I understand’, ABC NEWS (Feb. 3, 2018, 5:03 PM), https://abcnews.go.com/US/victims-father-lunges-larry-
nassar-court/story?id=52792808
66
Keneally & Stone, supra note 65.
67
68
69
70
Id.
71
CNN Staff, This is Larry Nassar’s full statement before he was sentenced, CNN (Jan. 24, 2018, 11:17 PM),
https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/24/us/larry-nassar-full-statement/index.html
72
CNN Staff, supra note 71.
73
74
Larry Nassar trial: Highlights from Judge Rosemarie Aquilina’s sentencing of ex-USA gymnastics doctor, NBC
News (Jan. 24, 2018, 1:06 PM), https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/larry-nassar-trial-highlights-judge-
rosemarie-aquilina-s-sentencing-ex-n840726
75

When sentencing, Judge Aquilina watched to see if Nassar appeared sincere, searching
for signs of remorse to decide if rehabilitation would eventually help him. Based on his
comments, she saw no remorse as he could not comprehend the destruction he had done.76 After
reading his statement, she asked Nassar if he wanted to withdraw his guilty plea, which he
refused. “It was all about him, he wanted to be in control,” she described.77 Therefore, on
January 24, 2018, she sentenced him to one sentence of 40-175 years in Michigan state prison on
sexual assault charges. “I just signed your death warrant,” she proclaimed, affirming his
sentence.78 The courtroom applauded with a standing ovation as Nassar was handcuffed and
taken to prison.
The President of MSU, Lou Anna Simon, resigned that day, hours after the sentence.79
On January 31, 2018, Nassar’s sentencing hearing in Eaton County, Michigan began. This
resulted in an additional sentence of 40-125 years in prison. Nassar was initially placed in an
Arizona federal prison but transferred to a Florida prison after being assaulted in the Arizona
prison80. In August 2018, Nassar filed motions in state courts requesting new sentencing in
Ingham, Michigan and Eaton, Michigan counties.81 His attorneys argued that his court hearing
was unfair because it was dominated by testimony not directly related to his crimes in Eaton
County, Michigan.82 He additionally filed a motion to disqualify Judge Aquilina and to appeal
his sixty-year federal sentence in child pornography charges in Ingham County, Michigan.83 All
requests were denied.84
III. USA GYMNASTICS (USAG)

A. Background of USAG
Established in 1963 and based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Gymnastics (USAG) is the
governing body for the sport of gymnastics.85 The main responsibility of USAG is to help
encourage safe participation within the sport of gymnastics.86 USAG holds other responsibilities
which include: “…sets the rules and policies that govern gymnastics in the United States; selects
and trains the U.S. Gymnastics Teams for Olympic Games and World Championships, as well as
other international competitions, promotes and develops gymnastics on both the grassroots and
76
Id.
77
Id.
78
Cacciola and Mather, supra note 4.
79
80
Des Bieler, Larry Nassar moved to Florida prison that also houses Whitey Bulger, THE WASH. POST (Aug. 28,
2018, 6:14 PM), https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/08/28/larry-nassar-moved-to-florida-
prison-that-also-houses-whitey-bulger/
81
82
The Associated Press, Larry Nassar loses another bid for new sentence in Michigan, The Seattle Times (Sept. 6,
2018, 12:16 PM)
83
84
Id.
85
USA Gymnastics will celebrate 50th anniversary at 2013 U.S. Championships; 2013 Hall of Fame Call
announced, USA GYMNASTICS (Apr. 18, 2013), https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=11913
86
Code of Ethical Conduct, USA GYMNASTICS (July 2018)
https://usagym.org/pages/aboutus/pages/code_of_ethics.html

national levels; and serves as a resource center for member clubs, fans and gymnasts throughout
the United States,”87. The USAG Administration enforces these regulations, responsibilities, and
overall culture of the organization.88
B. The Previous USAG Administration
USAG has completely altered its administration and board of directors since the public
disclosure of Nassar’s sexual abuse. The previous administration has been publicly accused of
failing to properly address sexual assault claims. Some of these key members include former
USAG President and CEO Steve Penny, former USAG Senior Vice President Rhonda Faehn,
and former USAG National Team Coordinator Martha Karolyi.
Steve Penny held the role of the President and CEO of USAG for twelve years.89 In
March 2017, Penny stepped down from this position, one month after the United States Olympic
Committee (USOC) requested for his resignation.90 Even though he lost his job, he received a $1
million payout.91 In June 2018, Penny was interviewed in a Senate subcommittee hearing, in
which he asserted his Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate himself.92 Then, he left the
hearing.93 By mid-October 2018, he was arrested on a third-degree felony for indictment of
tampering with evidence.94 This indictment was based on testimony before the congressional
hearing that claimed Penny ordered (and later deleted) documents that requested to remove
Nassar from The Karolyi Ranch (USAG’s National Team’s Training Center and official U.S.
Olympic Training Site).95 According to Penny’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, Penny “…did not
receive the documents and has no idea where they are.”96 These documents were apparently
delivered to Penny at USAG Headquarters in Indianapolis, but are currently missing. Penny
pleaded not guilty to the charge. He later posted bail (set at $20,000) and was released from
prison in late October 2018.97
Rhonda Faehn, the former Senior Vice President of USAG, worked directly under Penny.
When club coach Sarah Jantzi overheard her gymnast, Maggie Nichols and Olympian Aly
Raisman discussing Nassar’s bizarre treatments, Jantzi directly reported the incident to Faehn.
87
USA Gymnastics, supra note 85.
88
Id.
89
Nicole Chavez & Joe Sutton, Former USA Gymnastics president arrested on charge of evidence tampering in
Larry Nassar case, CNN (Oct. 19, 2018, 10:56 AM), https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/18/us/usa-gymnastics-former-
president-steve-penny-arrest/index.html
90
Mark Alesia, Tim Evans, & Marisa Kwiatkowski, USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny resigns, THE INDY
STAR (Mar. 22, 2017 3:05 PM), https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2017/03/16/usa-gymnastics-president-steve-
penny-resigns/99251344/
91
92
Charlotte Carroll, Ex-USA Gymnastics President Pleads the 5th to Questions on Athlete Sexual Abuse at Hearing,
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (Jun. 5, 2018), https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/06/05/ex-usa-gymnastics-president-steve-
penny-senate-hearing
93
Carroll, supra note 92.
94
David Barron, Steve Penny pleads not guilty, freed on bail, THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE (Oct. 29, 2018 1:18 PM),
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/olympics/article/Steve-Penny-pleads-not-guilty-freed-on-bail-13346268.php
95
Barron, supra note 94.
96
97
Barron, supra note 94.

Faehn then relayed this information to her boss, Steve Penny.98 Penny notified Faehn that he had
alerted authorities and informed her to not discuss the allegations. After this, she chose not to
notify law enforcement regarding the conversation about Nassar’s sexual abuse.99 Faehn
explained this in her written testimony at a congressional hearing: “He told me to not say
anything or do anything because he was going to handle everything going forward…he told me
he was going to report the concerns to proper authorities, which I assumed included law
enforcement.”100 However, under Indiana law, she was required to report any child abuse
/neglect to the police or the Indiana Department of Child Services.101 Faehn’s inaction
seemingly frustrated Raisman, as she has explained: “I reported my abuse to Rhonda Faehn and
so did Maggie Nichols, and I don’t know what she did with that information, but I didn’t get
contacted by the FBI for over a year, and in that time fifty to one hundred gymnasts were
molested…her and Steve Penny were fully aware of what’s going on.”102 Faehn was fired from
USAG in May 2018.103
Martha Karolyi was the U.S. National Team Coordinator; therefore, she was the head
coach of the U.S. National Team. She and her husband, Bela Karolyi, owned the famous Karolyi
Ranch where the U.S. National Team trained monthly. Martha Karolyi took over the head
coaching position from her husband in 2001.104 She began to run monthly training camps to
prepare the U.S. National Team for major international competitions such as the World
Championships and Olympics Games. Martha was known for her harsh coaching style that bred
greatness, which was proven by the dominant, powerhouse team that is USAG.105 However, this
style was extremely intense- she closely monitored the gymnasts by watching how they trained
and ate, occasionally restricting food. Even with this close monitoring, Martha and her husband
Bela claim ignorance when asked if they were knowledgeable of Nassar’s sexual assault.106 Yet,
many blame the Karolyi’s for Nassar’s sexual abuse by enabling the culture of fear, silence, and
vulnerability that allowed Nassar to prey on defenseless gymnasts.107 Others question their
knowledge of the sexual assaults because of their close monitoring of the gymnasts.
98
Mark Alesia, Marisa Kwiatkowski, & Tim Evans, USA delayed reporting Nassar for 5 weeks, THE INDY STAR
(Feb. 16, 2017, 8:23 PM), https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2017/02/16/larry-nassar-usa-gymnastics-fbi-child-
sexual-abuse/98002452/
99
Alesia, Kwiatkowski, & Evans, supra note 98.
100
Associated Press, Former USA Gymnastics exec says she was told to keep quiet about Nassar allegations, THE
N.Y. POST (Jun. 5, 2018, 11:40 PM), https://nypost.com/2018/06/05/former-usa-gymnastics-exec-says-she-was-told-
to-keep-quiet-about-nassar-allegations/
101
Marisa Kwiatkowski & Tim Evans, 15 adults waited to report Larry Nassar abuse allegations, new testimony
shows, THE INDY STAR (Jun. 5, 2018, 5:53 PM),
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/investigations/2018/06/05/larry-nassar-abuse-case-usag-officials-shift-blame-
new-testimony/672428002/
102
Nick Zaccardi, Rhonda Faehn, women’s program head, ‘no longer with USA Gymnastics’, NBC SPORTS (May
18, 2018), https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/05/18/rhonda-faehn-resign-usa-gymnastics-kerry-perry/
103
Zaccardi, supra note 102.
104
Juliet Macur, Final Bow for Martha Karolyi, the Woman Who Lifted U.S. Gymnastics, THE N.Y. TIMES (Aug. 9,
2016), https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/10/sports/olympics/final-bow-for-martha-karolyi-the-woman-who-lifted-
us-gymnastics.html
105
Emilia Benton, Everything You Need To Know About Bela And Martha Karolyi That Wasn’t In HBO’s USA
Gymnastics Doc, WOMEN’S HEALTH MAGAZINE (May 5, 2019),
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a27307279/bela-martha-karolyi-ranch-usa-gymnastics-larry-nassar-abuse/
106
Benton, supra note 105.
107
Id.

C. The Karolyi Ranch

Located outside of Houston, Texas and owned by Marta and Bela Karolyi, The Karolyi
Ranch was U.S. National Team’s Training Center and official U.S. Olympic Training Site for
gymnastics.108 Better known as “The Ranch,” this training site was located in the middle of Sam
Houston National Forest, which spans about two thousand acres of land. The Ranch facilities
include: three gyms, sixty-six rooms (that can house up to three hundred gymnasts, coaches, and
administrators), one cafeteria, dining areas, recreational areas, medical and rehab facilities, office
space, and even Marta and Bela Karolyi’s personal residence.109 There was a tradition of success
that surrounded The Ranch because of the numerous, world-class gymnasts who trained there,
including: Nadia Comaneci, Mary Lou Retton, Kerri Strug, Nastia Liukin, Aly Raisman, and
Simone Biles.110 Thus, there was a sense of magic that surrounded the site amongst gymnasts.
In 2000, The Ranch began training the U.S. National Team monthly.111 The U.S.
National Team gymnasts would train at the Ranch for about one week every month under this
system. Camps consisted of the U.S. National Team coaching staff and administration with the
gymnasts’ local club coaches. USAG is known for producing some of the greatest gymnasts in
the world because of the countless U.S. World and Olympic champions. Therefore, it was the
responsibility of those within the Ranch to produce and maintain this high level. According to a
booked titled, Gymnastics, after Mary Lou Retton won the Olympics in 1984, The Ranch
attendee grew to 1,400 attendees.112
D. Training at The Karolyi Ranch
The training at the Ranch was extremely intense. The Karolyis fostered a culture of fear
within a toxic environment that encouraged verbal and emotional abuse.113 Their mindset
constructed workouts with so much pressure that high-level competitions were arguably easier.
114
The Karolyi mentality prepared gymnasts to handle the pressure of a real competition with
ease. Gymnasts were trained to work like soldiers, not question authority, and do exactly as they
are told. Every movement was watched, and one mistake could eliminate the opportunity to
make a World or Olympic team.115 If a gymnast did not perform up to the expectation at The
Ranch, one could feel the tension increase. 116 The Karolyi’s made it crystal clear that glory
came with a price, and that price was physical, emotional, and verbal abuse.117 Current
University of Florida gymnast and former U.S. National Team Member Alyssa Baumann
described the previous culture of USAG:
108
Hannah Smothers, Everything You Need to Know About Karolyi Ranch, COSMOPOLITAN (Feb. 6, 2018),
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/a15958460/karolyi-ranch/
109
Ellie Hall, Authorities Are Investigating Karolyi Ranch, Where Gymnasts Said They Were Sexually Abused,
BUZZFEED NEWS (Jan. 23, 2018, 7:16 PM) https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ellievhall/karolyi-ranch
110
Holly Yan, Karolyi Ranch produced champions and a culture of fear, ex-gymnasts say, CNN (Feb. 2, 2018, 1:47
PM), https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/02/us/karolyi-ranch-gymnastics-abuse-allegations/index.html
111
Alicia Park, Why It’s a Big Deal That USA Gymnastics Is Cutting Ties With the Karolyi Ranch, TIME (Jan. 18,
2018), https://time.com/5108887/usa-gymnastics-sexual-abuse-karolyi-ranch/
112
Smothers, supra note 108.
113
Yan, supra note 110.
114
115
Telephone Interview with Anonymous, (Sept. 7, 2019).
116
Telephone Interview with Anonymous, supra note 115.
117

“The previous culture of USAG consisted of fear and intimidation. Unnecessary

pressure was placed on athletes to act and preform as robots with zero consideration
of the athlete well-being. It was a culture in which money and medals were
prioritized as opposed to the athletes and their safety.”118
Former University of Oklahoma gymnast and U.S. National Team member McKenzie
Wofford further described this culture:
“Personally, I would describe the previous USAG culture as toxic, manipulative,
and abusive. The organization hired people who brainwashed their athletes and
taught them that winning was everything no matter what the cost may be. For me,
the words that come to mind when I think about The Ranch or get asked about it is
that it was absolute hell. The tension in the gym was terrifying, the USAG
coaches/administration had their eyes on us 24/7. It was expected to have complete
focus in order to complete workouts no matter how sick or injured you were. If
you wanted to be on top you had to just pretend nothing was wrong. I literally will
get a smell of something in the air that smells like The Ranch and I get chills.” 119
Other coaches who attended training camps at The Ranch craved gymnastics success,
therefore they mirrored this coaching standard. These coaching methods were then brought back
to their local gyms and this mentality spread nationally120. Baumann and Wofford explained
their perspectives of the USAG coaches and administration:
“Overall, I do not feel that the staff and coaches were concerned with their athlete’s
safety and mental/physical health. Fortunately, my personal coaches were not this
way; however, many others I worked with were. Their priority was winning by any
means necessary. They cared about results, not the athletes. They were willing to
cover up injuries and abuse so they could maintain their fake image and continue
to win.”121
“I feel like there were a select few (USAG coaches and administrators) that had
some of our best interest at heart, but for the most part they did not. All the coaches
and administrators cared about was pleasing Martha. They would do whatever it
took to ensure that they themselves and their athletes were on top, even if it put
others in danger. I believe that many of them knew what was going on, but like we
are taught with everything else they would tell people to not say anything or they
would lose their spot and never have a shot at making the team.”122
118
Email from Alyssa Baumann, Student-athlete, University of Florida (Sept. 3, 2019, 08:54 AM PT) (on file with
author).
119
Email from McKenzie Wofford, Former student-athlete, University of Oklahoma (Oct. 9, 2019, 06:04 PM PT)
(on file with author).
120
121
Email from Alyssa Baumann, supra note 118.
122
Email from McKenzie Wofford, supra note 119.

As the success of gymnastics grew within the country, the level heightened. The culture
within The Ranch continued and began to thrive on the idea of “Athlete Darwinism”. 123 This is
the idea that if one gymnast can’t handle the intense training (mentally or physically), another
one would take their spot and they would never return to The Ranch.124 The intensity required at
The Ranch demanded gymnasts to push past any adversity in order to achieve their lifelong
gymnastics dreams.
The gymnasts were completely removed from civilization at The Ranch in order to keep
them focused on gymnastics. There was no cell phone service, no outsiders of this intense
gymnastic’ community, and ultimately no witnesses.125 It was in such a remote area that one
would need a helicopter to get to the closest hospital.126 If a gymnast had any issues, there was
no one they could talk to.127 Additionally, the living conditions at The Ranch were below
standard. Raisman has stated that athletes were not given water, the showers were dirty, the
bunk beds were crawling with bugs, and the bathrooms often lacked soap.128 The culture of fear
instilled within the gymnasts at The Ranch was so extreme that they were petrified to even ask
for basic necessities.129 The intimidation within The Ranch was so intense that gymnasts were
terrified to say anything or take any action because it may jeopardize athletic opportunities.130
While training at The Ranch, gymnasts were discouraged to go to their club coaches for
help and were not allowed to speak with their parents.131 Parents were not allowed to stay with
their child at camps or international competitions and were denied basic rights to see their
children.132 This separation between gymnasts and the outside world was initially meant to keep
athletes focused on the sport and distance them from any distractions. However, this intense lack
of transparency resulted in zero protection for the gymnasts, ultimately paving the way for an
authority figure adult, like Nassar, to get away with molesting the gymnasts training at The
Ranch.133 Baumann trained at The Ranch regularly and described her experience:
“The Karolyi Ranch was a toxic environment that allowed and facilitated abuse for
years. It was located in the woods in a place that few knew about so that those in
positions of authority were able to bypass rules and abuse their power. There was
no cell service, so athletes were unable to stay in contact with their parents. Living
conditions were extremely poor, from mold in the showers to food that was barely
edible. Practices lasted more than seven hours per day, at an intensity that was far
too high. During those practices, every athlete was afraid to make any mistake
because they made it clear that everyone was replaceable. The Karolyi Ranch
123
124
Id.
125
126
Id.
127
128
Char Adams, Aly Raisman Says ‘Disgusting’ Conditions at the Karolyi Ranch Enabled Child Molester Larry
Nassar, PEOPLE (Mar. 15, 2018, 11:26 AM), https://people.com/sports/aly-raisman-karolyi-ranch-larry-nassar/
129
Adams, supra note 128.
130
131
132
133

stripped the joy from the sport by creating an environment that prohibited athletes
from having fun and simply being kids.”134
The treatment for the gymnasts at The Ranch was so horrific that former UCLA gymnast
Mattie Larson stated that she suffered a self-inflicted head injury in order to avoid attending one
of the camps at The Ranch135. Larson stated:
“I was taking a bath when I decided to push the bathmat aside, splash water on the
tiles, get on the floor, and bang the back of my head against the tub hard enough to
get a bump, so it seemed like I slipped. I was willing to physically hurt myself to
get out of the abuse that I received at The Ranch,”136
Since all of these athletes were training together, they went through similar experiences
which formed a bond. This bond became exceptionally tight, as they even discussed Nassar’s
treatments with one another. For instance, Baumann described:
“There were a couple times where I talked about it with the other gymnasts, but we
never understood what exactly he was doing. One of the times I talked about it
with two other National Team members at camp, a coach overheard us and
immediately told those in authority, but nothing was done. I learned later that
someone was supposed to come see me and ask me questions about it, but no one
ever did.”137
The Karolyis continued to deny having any knowledge of Nassar’s sexual assault at The
Ranch. They blame USAG and the USOC for “failing to put in place (or enforce) rules which
would protect young gymnasts from potential predators such as USAG’s agent Larry Nassar”.138
For many, this is a disappointing response coming from the two individuals who led the culture
of fear within the most prestigious gymnastics facility in the nation which enabled Nassar’s
sexual assault for years.
In 2016, USAG announced that it would purchase The Ranch from the Karolyis.139 After
the downfall of USAG, it backed out of the sale in May 2017.140 In 2018, USAG terminated its
arrangement with The Ranch, stating that the organization would no longer use the facility as its
134
135
136
Id.
137
138
Linh Tran, Elizabeth Joseph, & Jillian Martin, In wake of the Nassar case, Karolyis sue USA Gymnastics, US
Olympic Committee, CNN (last updated May. 2, 2018), https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/02/us/bela-martha-karolyi-
sue-usag-usoc/index.html
139
USA Gymnastics agrees to purchase Karolyi Ranch gymnastics facilities, USA GYMNASTICS (Jul. 25, 2016),
https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=18960
140
Eric Levenson, USA Gymnastics cuts ties with Karolyi Ranch and its memories of abuse, CNN (last updated Jan.
19, 2018, 3:43 AM), https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/18/us/usa-gymnastics-karolyi-ranch/index.html

National Training Center.141 This resulted in The Ranch’s closing.142 The Karolyis then filed a
lawsuit against USAG and the USOC seeking damages for the cancelation of the sale of the
Ranch.143 They claimed that they were not liable for the actions of Nassar and the market value
of the facility declined drastically resulting from the stigma surrounding it.144
Texas Law Enforcement Officials have since cleared the Karolyis of criminal
wrongdoing and instead blame USAG for failing to protect gymnasts from Nassar while training
at The Ranch.145 Walker County assistant district attorney Stephanie Stroud and others within
her office have considered whether or not others who worked for USAG at The Ranch “could or
should be charged”, but the statute of limitations for failure to report has passed.146 Since then,
the Senate’s committee on state affairs in Texas has passed a bill which doubles the statute of
limitations, giving child victims of sexual assault up to thirty years after their eighteenth birthday
to sue their molester and the organization they believe is accountable for the assault (House Bill
3809).147 Now148, the bill must go before the full Senate and back to the house, but is strongly
believed to be passed because of its’ massive support.149
E. Larry Nassar’s Role at The Ranch
Nassar was USAG’s Team Physician; therefore, he attended every camp, practice, and
managed every treatment session for the gymnasts. Gymnasts appreciated Nassar because his
charismatic personality was the opposite of the typical, harsh USAG coaches and
administrators.150 Within his treatment sessions, he would listen to the gymnasts and offer
support or encouragement. He would even sneak them snacks or water into their dorm rooms
because he knew that they were hungry.151 Often, these gymnasts were minors with zero sexual
experience, so they were brainwashed by his charming personality.152 Adding to his credibility,
the National Team staff adored Nassar because he consistently told them he could get their
injured athletes back to their elite abilities, regardless of the severity of the injury.153 His
reputation within USAG was strong because athletes, coaches, parents, and administrators all
141
142
Nick Zaccardi, USA Gymnastics Closes Karolyi Ranch, NBC SPORTS (Jan. 18, 2018 3:45 PM),
https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/01/18/usa-gymnastics-karolyi-ranch-closed-larry-nassar/
143
Rachel Axon & Nancy Armour, Martha and Bela Karolyi sue USA Gymnastics, USOC over failed ranch sale,
lawsuit, USA TODAY (May 1, 2018, 6:01 PM),
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2018/05/01/martha-bela-karolyi-sue-usa-gymnastics-usoc-over-
failed-ranch-sale-lawsuits/570699002/
144
Axon & Armour, supra note 143.
145
Rachel Axon & Nancy Armour, USA Gymnastics a ‘total failure,’ according to investigation of famed Karolyi
ranch, USA TODAY (Jun. 29, 2018, 4:11 PM),
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/beijing/2018/06/29/usa-gymnastics-total-failure-according-probe-
famed-ranch/746813002/
146
147
Teresa Woodard, Texas poised to double statute of limitation for child sex abuse victims, WFAA (May, 16, 2019,
11:05 PM), https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/texas-poised-to-double-statute-of-limitation-for-child-sex-abuse-
victims/287-0731d374-d69c-4d1c-ba07-ee42336a75b9
148
At the date of finalization, November 2019.
149
Woodard, supra note 147.
150
151
Id.
152
Id.
153
Id.

appreciated his kindness and intelligence for helping gymnasts achieve their athletic goals- so it
seemed. Baumann has described how he manipulated her:
“I did not know I was being assaulted at the time, only that I was uncomfortable.
Nassar was able to gain enough trust from me so that I would never assume that he
would do something to hurt me. At one point I was so uncomfortable that I
considered telling someone, but I knew that if I caused any problems, they would
push me to the side and use the next athlete for the upcoming competition.”154
Similarly, Wofford did not understand that she was sexually assaulted by Nassar at the
time she received his perceived medical treatments:
“I had no clue. I thought it was a procedure that was normal and was going to help
me. I trusted he was the best doctor.”155
Nassar’s reputation was so credible that he was granted access to treat the gymnasts in
their dorm rooms.156 “The fact that Nassar was fine working on us in our beds without a table,
that 100% should’ve been a red flag to USA Gymnastics,” explained Aly Raisman.157 Most of
the gymnasts were used to coaches touching them daily when spotting them in gymnastics,
therefore his physical manipulation did not seem bizarre to them158. Even if they questioned his
therapy, these gymnasts were taught to never question authority, so why would these gymnasts
question a credible doctor who supported them?
At The Ranch, Nassar had an Athletic Trainer, Debbie Van Horn, who worked alongside
him and attended various treatment sessions. Van Horn was a USAG Athletic Trainer for thirty
years, who has since been arrested on one charge of second-degree sexual assault of a child for
“acting as a party” with Nassar.159 During Nassar’s sentencing in January 2018, Mattie Larson
stated in court that Van Horn was in the room while Nassar sexually assaulted her.160 An
additional gymnast made the same statement, explaining that Van Horn took no action.161
Therefore, these gymnasts unfortunately believed that Nassar was performing legitimate medical
treatment because there was a third-party observing the session. Van Horn has since entered a
plea of not guilty162 and her court date has not been released.163
154
155
Email from McKenzie Wofford, supra note 199.
156
157
Id.
158
159
Joseph Brown, USA Gymnastics trainer enters plea, THE HUNTSVILLE ITEM (Sept. 24, 2018),
https://www.itemonline.com/news/local_news/usa-gymnastics-trainer-enters-plea/article_46f87d92-0405-5952-
ab92-7316fc16078a.html
160
161
Dan Murphy, Former USAG trainer Debra Van Horn, who worked with Larry Nassar, arrested, ESPN (Sept. 8,
2018), https://www.espn.com/olympics/gymnastics/story/_/id/24614530/former-usag-trainer-debra-van-horn-
worked-larry-nassar-arrested
162
At the date of finalization, November 2019.
163
Brown, supra note 159.

F. Larry Nassar’s Role at Geddert’s Twistars Gymnastics Club

In 1996, John and Kathryn Geddert opened the esteemed Geddert’s Twistars Gymnastics
Club in Lansing, Michigan where they also allowed Nassar to have a treatment room in the back
of the facility to work on their injured athletes.164 John Geddert and Larry Nassar built a strong
business and personal relationship through this environment as John Geddert coached the young
gymnasts and Nassar treated them for their injuries. The two were inseparable; they attended
each other’s weddings and worked together daily for more than twenty-five years.165
Geddert was considered charismatic and good-looking, but his coaching style was harsh,
based on fear and intimidation.166 He was often in a horrible mood, screaming at his gymnasts,
throwing objects at them, and even denying them water until they performed to his standard.167
His former gymnasts have described him as “The Devil”.168 Unfortunately, this coaching
mentality was, and still is, common within gymnastics. Through this harsh system, like the
Karolyi method, gymnasts often became successful as they could handle intense pressure at
tough competitions. Geddert became one of the most prominent, successful coaches, was named
the Head Coach of the 2012 Olympic Team (which won gold), was the most decorated women’s
gymnastics coach in Michigan, and coached more than fifty U.S. National Team members.169
However, Geddert’s career was not as perfect as it may appear. He was accused of assault and
battery in two separate incidents, both at Twistars, during the months before and after the 2012
Olympic Games.170 The first incident included a parent of a gymnast who trained at Twistars and
was a coach at the club gym. She told state police that after an argument, Geddert followed her
into parking lot and physically assaulted her.171 The second incident included a gymnast who
claimed Geddert, “stepped on her toe, grabbed her arm, and pushed her into the wall”.172
Following the second incident, Nassar texted the gymnast’s grandmother begging her to drop the
charges and explained that Geddert had implemented new policies at Twistars to ensure
protection for the gymnasts and coaches. These policies would not allow staff members to be
alone with an athlete and staff members were not allowed to be in a room alone with an athlete
unless the door was open.173 It is unclear if these policies were ever implemented at Twistars
and they never applied to Nassar.
Ironically, this behavior made Geddert and Nassar the perfect pair. Nassar was the
complete opposite. He was everyone’s friend because he was kind, slightly awkward, listened to
the girls, and treated them for their injuries.174 A former gymnast and sexual assault victim
described him as “A Labrador puppy, the sweetest guy…safe.”175 Geddert’s fiery mentality and
unsympathetic ways often broke girls down, forcing them to use Nassar as a crutch. “Larry was
the one to calm the girls down when they had a bad practice with John,” explained former office
164
165
Id.
166
Id.
167
Id.
168
169
170
Id.
171
Id.
172
Id.
173
Id.
174
Id.
175
Id.

manager of Geddert’s Twistars, Priscilla Klintigh.176 Geddert’s cruelty built great gymnasts but
broke them down mentality, emotionally, and physically. This enabled Nassar to be there for
them and treat them. Nassar was the “good cop” to Geddert’s “bad cop”; always smiling and
providing an outlet for Geddert’s gymnasts.
In 2014, USAG paid Lansing private investigator, Don Brooks to investigate the
complaints about Geddert.177 He interviewed gymnasts who described Geddert’s accused
physical assault and turned his findings over to USAG. USAG and Brooks declined to comment
on the investigation, and it is uncertain how the investigation concluded.178
Nassar understood Geddert’s harsh coaching style, but what is unknown is how much
Geddert knew about Nassar’s sexual assaults.179 One woman has testified that Geddert walked
into Nassar’s treatment room within Twistars while Nassar was penetrating her with his fingers.
When Geddert appeared, he simply made a joke that she must not be too injured.180 USAG
suspended Geddert in 2018 and he is currently being investigated by the Michigan Attorney’s
General office.181 Geddert’s gym, Twistars, reached a settlement with the sexual assault victims
for $2.125 million.182
G. The Initial Complaint to USAG of Larry Nassar’s Sexual Assault
During a National Team Training Camp at The Karolyi Ranch in 2015, visiting club
coach Sarah Jantzi overheard a disturbing conversation between her gymnast, Maggie Nichols
and Olympian Aly Raisman.183 Nichols had been explaining bizarre treatment sessions she had
encountered with Nassar, which alarmed Jantzi. Jantzi reported the conversation to Nichols
parents and former USAG Senior Vice President, Rhonda Faehn. Faehn reported the
conversation to former USAG President and CEO Steve Penny.184
One day after Jantzi’s report to USAG, Penny called Maggie Nichols’ mother, Gina
Nichols.185 Penny told her, “We need to keep this quiet. It’s very sensitive. We don’t want this
to get out,”.186 One year before the 2016 Olympic Games, Gina Nichols was in an
uncomfortable position. She and her husband, John Nichols, both worked in the medical field;
she is a nurse and he is a physician.187 Penny appeared to hold her daughter’s Olympic dreams
like a carrot over their heads. Gina explained how Penny “…Was in a position of authority over
me and my husband. Our whole family gave up everything so we could put (Maggie) on this
176
Id.
177
Id.
178
Id.
179
Id.
180
Id.
181
Ray Sanchez & Linh Tran, Michigan attorney general takes over investigation of ex-US gymnastics coach with
ties to Larry Nassar, CNN (Feb. 21, 2019, 1:59 PM), https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/21/us/michigan-john-geddert-
investigation/index.html
182
John Barr, Gymnastics club settles Nassar suit for $2.1M, ESPN (Apr. 24, 2019),
https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/26596680/gymnastics-club-settles-nassar-suit-21m
183
184
Id.
185
Id.
186
Id.
187
Id.

road,”.188 By confronting Penny and USAG about Nassar’s abuse, Gina and John could be
jeopardizing their daughter’s spot on an Olympic Team. They understood that as medical
professionals they are required to report child abuse immediately to law enforcement but feared
that this action would harm Maggie’s lifelong dreams of making an Olympic Team.189 So, they
remained quiet. They trusted Penny because he assured them that Nassar was being taken care
of.190
USAG responded to Maggie’s complaint by hiring a workplace harassment investigator
who interviewed her and Raisman.191 This investigator did not find “reasonable suspicion that
sexual abuse had occurred,” therefore the organization waited to contact federal authorities.192
Not until after a third gymnast, Olympian McKayla Maroney, was interviewed by the workplace
harassment investigator did USAG contact federal authorities. USAG waited forty-one days
after Maggie Nichols’ initial complaint to contact the FBI.
Months after Nichols’ initial report Nassar was fired by USAG, but USAG publicly
announced that Nassar was retiring.193 In a written Facebook post Nassar explained how “…It
has come time for me to retire,”194 USAG did not notify MSU of the complaints. Nassar
continued to treat athletes at MSU.195 USAG later explained that they “…Kept the matter
confidential because of the FBI’s directive not to interfere with the investigation…USA
Gymnastics cooperated fully with the FBI, including the agents’ July 29, 2015 request to not do
anything that might interfere with their investigation,”196
In July 2016, an FBI agent contacted Nichols about Nassar’s sexual assault. This was
one month before the Olympic Games.197 Nichols was not selected for the 2016 Olympic Team.
Nichols became known as “Athlete A”, who is believed to be the first gymnast to report Nassar’s
sexual assault to USAG.198 Raisman did not speak with an FBI agent until September 2016, a
couple months after serving as team captain on Team USA’s 2016 gold-medal winning Olympic
Team.199 Raisman had disappointing interactions with Penny regarding meeting with the FBI,
“Steve Penny was trying to control when I was going to be interviewed by the FBI. He was
trying to control every part of it. The biggest priority was to make sure I kept it quiet, so they’d
have a good Olympics. It’s disgusting,”200 Penny attempted to sit in Raisman’s meetings with
the FBI agent. Raisman would not allow him in the room.201
188
Id.
189
Id.
190
Id.
191
Tracy Connor & Sarah Fitzpatrick, Gymnast Maggie Nichols was first to report abuse by Larry Nassar, NBC
NEWS (Jan. 9, 2018, 8:28 AM), https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gymnast-maggie-nichols-was-first-report-
abuse-larry-nassar-n836046
192
Connor & Fitzpatrick, supra note 191.
193
Id.
194
195
Id.
196
197
198
199
200
Id.
201
Id.

H. Bankruptcy, Investigations, Settlements, and New Policies

Since the wake of the Nassar scandal, USAG has struggled to reestablish its organization. In
January 2018, the USOC threatened to decertify the organization if it failed to meet six
conditions.202 In an attempt to avoid decertification, the entire USAG board resigned, and a new
fifteen-member board took over in June 2018.203 In December 2018, USAG filed bankruptcy in
the wake of the USOC’s vote to decertify the organization, in addition to hoping to “Expedite an
equitable resolution of the claims made by the survivors of sexual abuse perpetrated by Larry
Nassar”.204 Even though the organization filed bankruptcy, its daily operations continue.205 The
organization has been through four presidents in the past two years.
Commencing in the summer of 2017, USAG has been in mediation talk with Nassar’s
victims.206 This process consists of negotiations with former gymnasts and insurers who claim
that the organization failed to protect the gymnasts from Nassar and that they deserve
compensation.207
The Ropes and Gray law firm recently constructed their own investigation into USAG to see
if anyone within the organization knew about the athletes’ complaints and didn’t report them, in
addition to evaluating systematic failures which enabled the abuse.208 This investigation could
impact any settlements moving forward. The organization is expected to pay between $75
million and $150 million to the victims.209
In June 2019, USAG updated its Safe Sport policy by defining types of abuse and
detailing abuse prevention efforts.210 The previous policy only defined sexual misconduct.
Now, with the input from athletes, parents, coaches, club owners, and survivors of Nassar’s
sexual assault the policy has jurisdiction over various misconduct and abuse. This includes
emotional and physical abuse, bullying and hazing, and more.211 Current President and CEO of
USAG, Li Li Leung has specified the actions that USAG has taken to prevent sexual assault in
the future. The organization has, “already made numerous changes designed to prevent the
opportunity for abuse to occur. We have made it our top priority to become an athlete-centric
202
Rachel Axon & Nancy Armour, USOC gives USA Gymnastics board six days to resign or federation will be
decertified, USA TODAY (Jan. 25, 2018, 10:31 PM), https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2018/01/25/usoc-gives-
usa-gymnastics-board-six-days-resign-federation-decertified/1068099001/
203
Holly Yan, USA Gymnastics files bankruptcy after hefty lawsuits over Larry Nassar, CNN (last updated Dec. 5,
2018, 8:03 PM), https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/05/us/usa-gymnastics-files-for-bankruptcy/index.html
204
205
Id.
206
207
Katy Stech Ferek, USA Gymnastics Says Mediator Would Help Negotiations With Sex-Abuse Victims, THE WALL
STREET JOURNAL (May 6, 2019, 3:29 PM), https://www.wsj.com/articles/usa-gymnastics-says-mediator-would-help-
negotiations-with-sex-abuse-victims-11557170985
208
Juliet Macur, Top U.S.O.C. Officials Failed to Act on Nassar Allegations, Report Says, THE N.Y. TIMES (Dec. 10,
2018), https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/10/sports/usoc-investigation-report.html
209
USA Today Sports, USA Gymnastics expects to pay $75 million to $150 million to victims of Larry Nassar, USA
TODAY (Nov. 8, 2018, 7:09 PM), https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2018/11/08/usa-gymnastics-
expects-pay-75-million-150-million-victims-larry-nassar/1936451002/
210
Rachel Axon & Nancy Armour, USA Gymnastics releases new Safe Sport policy, signals ‘next step’ to athlete
safety, USA TODAY (Jun. 19, 2019, 12:18 PM), https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2019/06/19/usa-gymnastics-
releases-new-safe-sport-policy/1499339001/
211

organization that keeps athlete safety and well-being at the forefront of all that we do.”212 The
organization also has plans to implement the majority of recommendations received from an
independent investigative review regarding their safe sport policies and procedures.213
IV. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU)

A. Larry Nassar’s Roles at MSU
After receiving his medical degree from MSU in 1993, Nassar held roles at the university
for decades as a team doctor, who worked with numerous sports, and as an assistant professor.214
Starting in 1997, Nassar began employment at MSU. As an employee, Nassar worked
frequently and directly with all MSU sports but had direct connections to MSU Women’s
Gymnastics because of his personal relationship with Head Coach Kathie Klages. Nassar215 held
these roles at MSU until 2016.216
B. The Title IX Complaint
Once his secret was unmasked, Nassar was struck with a barrage of legal complaints by
his victims and their families at various formality levels. The first woman to file a formal Title
IX complaint against Nassar was Amanda Thomashow in 2014.217 She reported that, during an
appointment at MSU, Nassar sent his resident out of the room, then fondled her breasts and
touched her vagina despite her protests. Following the assault, Nassar would not let her leave
until she made a follow-up appointment with him (which she later canceled).218 Thereby, Nassar
violated the school’s sexual harassment policy in addition to breaking the law.219 Thomashow
chose not to report the incident to the police because she worried that they would not know how
to handle the case. Therefore, she told another MSU doctor, Dr. Jeffery Kovan, about the
incident.220 He elevated her report to be filed with the MSU Title IX Office and the MSU Police
Department.221
212
Fitzpatrick, Costello, & Kaplan, supra note 22.
213
Id.
214
215
Notably, Nassar’s sexual assault was reported prior to his hiring at MSU, while he was a medical student, yet he
was still brought on as a team doctor for the sports teams at MSU. The first accusation of rape by Nassar dates back
to 1992, according to a lawsuit filed in 2018. Erika Davis, a former MSU field-hockey player accused Nassar of
drugging and raping her, then having a cameraman film the assault. She reported the incident to her coach, who
then relayed the information to sports administrators, which included the then- Athletic Director George Perles. The
lawsuit alleges that Perles covered up the incident. See Caroline Kitchener and Alia Wong, The Moral Catastrophe
at Michigan State, THE ATLANTIC (Sept. 12, 2018), https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/09/the-
moral-catastrophe-at-michigan-state/569776/
216
217
Jean Casarex, Emanuella Grinberg, & Sonia Moghe, She filed a complaint against Larry Nassar in 2014.
Nothing happened, CNN (last updated Feb. 1, 2018), https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/01/us/msu-amanda-thomashow-
complaint-larry-nassar/index.html
218
Casarex, Grinberg, & Moghe, supra note 217.
219
Id.
220
Amy Biolchini, Everything we know about the 2014 complaint Lou Anna Simon is accused of lying about, M
LIVE (Nov. 23, 2018), https://www.mlive.com/news/2018/11/2014_title_ix_complaint.html
221
Biolchini, supra note 220.

Two weeks later, Thomashow received a call from Kristen Moore, the Title IX
investigator in MSU’s Office of Institutional Equity (who currently serves the General Council
of MSU) and a police officer.222 MSU continued by conducting an internal investigation
constructed of four individuals. All four were hand-picked by Nassar and Dr. William Strampel,
the former Dean of MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine who served as Nassar’s boss.223 They
choose four of Nassar’s closest colleagues within the institution224. Strampel later emailed
Nassar and explained, “Good luck, I’m on your side…”.225
During the investigation, various detectives interviewed Thomashow and Nassar. Nassar
admitted to touching her as part of the procedure and explained that he was, “The body
whisperer” and “…obviously did a poor job of explaining to the patient what I was doing…I
definitely have to completely change my treatment for sure.”226 They concluded that Nassar
simply failed to communicate his procedure, no sexual assault had occurred, and Nassar’s
methods were “medically appropriate”.227
The Title IX findings report concluded: “We cannot find that the conduct was of a sexual
nature. Thus, it did not violate the sexual harassment policy. However, we find the claim
helpful in that it allows us to examine certain practices at the MSU Sports Medicine Clinic.”228
This report further explained that Thomashow misinterpreted Nassar’s procedure229. It left out
Nassar’s erection and the fact that Thomashow had to push Nassar off of her during the
appointment230. Thomashow felt embarrassed, unimportant, and worthless.231 Both Thomashow
and Nassar received the Title IX report findings, but Nassar’s report was different. It was one
page longer, which Thomashow did not know.232 This additional page stated:
“Procedures such as these invasive, sensitive procedures, is opening the practice up
to liability and is exposing patients to unnecessary trauma based on the possibility
of perceived sexual misconduct. In addition, we find that the failure to obtain
consent from patients prior to the procedure is likewise exposing the practice to
liability.”233
This additional page explained that those who investigated this case understood that
Nassar’s treatments were opening the institution to possible legal issues. Nassar was placed on
leave and was temporarily prevented from seeing patients at MSU. However, he continued to
see patients for USAG, Twistars, and Holt High School.234 In 2018, MSU spokesperson, Jason
222
Kitchener and Wong, supra note 215.
223
Kate Wells, Should Nassar’s former boss be fired? One MSU trustee says yes., MICH. RADIO (Jan. 25, 2018),
https://www.michiganradio.org/post/should-nassars-former-boss-be-fired-one-msu-trustee-says-yes
224
225
Wells, supra note 223.
226
227
Id.
228
Id.
229
230
231
232
Id.
233
Id.
234

Cody, stated that MSU did not notify the other organizations because, “The complaint was not a
gymnast or a minor, nor did the complaint involve allegations of penetration.”235
In July 2014, Nassar returned to work at MSU after being cleared by Title IX Investigator
Kristine Moore.236 Nassar went on to sexually assault at least twenty more patients. Even
though MSU cleared Nassar, the MSU Police forwarded the case to the Ingham County
Prosecutor’s Office with a recommendation for a charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual
conduct.237 This included misconduct by a medical professional with a misdemeanor that
involves a two-year prison sentence. Surprisingly, the prosecutor’s office declined to prosecute
the case because Nassar was performing a “…Very innovative and helpful manipulation of a
ligament,”.238
Upon Nassar returning to MSU after leave, Strampel wanted Nassar to follow basic
protocols when conducting his treatments. This included the following: there must be a third
party in the room during the procedure, he should limit skin-to-skin contact, and he should obtain
informed consent from the patient.239 However, Strampel never shared these protocols with
Nassar’s supervisors or other members of the Sports Medicine Clinic.240 Strampel also failed to
enforce these protocols.241 He has since been sentenced to up to one year in jail for neglect of
duty and misconduct in office for allegations that he sexually harassed students.242
Following Thomashow’s Title IX investigation in 2015, MSU and the U.S. Department
of Education Office for Civil Rights (DOE) reached a resolution agreement related to MSU’s
handling of sexual assault complaints from two students.243 Prior to signing this agreement, the
DOE had no previous knowledge of the Nassar allegations. This agreement required the
institution to report sexual assault allegations to the DOE. However, MSU did not disclose
Thomashow’s report to the DOE.244
The DOE has since begun federal monitoring over MSU for violating Title IX policies
when handling sexual assault cases on campus.245 In 2017, MSU continued to defend its’
handling of Nassar, and Deputy General Counsel Kristine Zayko asked the DOE to end its
monitoring of the institution because they had altered its’ Title IX guidance. However, federal
officials firmly rejected this request because, “MSU failed to provide respond appropriate to two
complaints filed by female students who alleged they had been sexually assaulted”.246 MSU
believes differently, as Patrick Fitzgerald, an external consultant for MSU affirmed, “We believe
235
Id.
236
Id.
237
Id.
238
Id.
239
Id.
240
Id.
241
Wells, supra note 223.
242
Associated Press, Ex-dean at Michigan State University with oversight of Larry Nassar gets jail time, CBS NEWS
(Aug. 7, 2019, 3:25 PM), https://www.cbsnews.com/news/larry-nassar-case-ex-dean-william-strampel-michigan-
state-university-sentenced-jail-today-2019-08-07/
243
244
Id.
245
Jennifer Chambers, MSU hid details of Title IX report from Nassar victim, THE DETROIT NEWS, (Jan. 26, 2018,
8:54 PM), https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/01/26/msu-title-ix-investigation-
reports/109852510/
246
Chambers, supra note 245.

the evidence will show that no MSU official believed that Nassar committed sexual abuse prior
to the newspaper reports in the late summer 2016.”247
C. The Previous MSU Faculty and Administration
In 2017, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office began an investigation into university
officials who may have enabled Nassar’s sexual assault.248 Strampel was the first person
charged since this investigation.249 In December 2017, Strampel stepped down as the Dean of
the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine for “medical reasons”.250 As part of a settlement with
MSU, in July 2018, Strampel formally retired from the university and paid $175,000. In August
2019, Strampel was convicted of neglect of duty and misconduct in office for claims of sexually
harassing students.251 He was ordered to serve up to one year in jail. The conviction of willfully
neglecting a duty came from his failure to monitor Nassar after “protocols were put in place
requiring that a third person be present in the exam room for sensitive procedures and limiting
skin-to-skin contact.”252 Even with these charges, he was acquitted of the more severe criminal
sexual conduct charge.253 For a felony misconduct conviction, Strampel faced up to five years in
prison for accusations that stated, “he used his public office to sexually harass, demean and
proposition students who met with him to discuss academic issues.”254 A court affidavit
contends that he stored nude selfies of students on his computer. Evaluations from his female
faculty members state that he often made comments about women’s appearances or asked them
to wear low-cut shirts to meetings.255
In 1997, Nassar was working at MSU in addition to his roles at USAG and local Lansing,
Michigan gym clubs and schools.256 One of these gyms included Klages’ club gym, Spartan
Youth Gymnastics. An anonymous young gymnast who attended Spartan Youth Gymnastics,
and former gymnast Larissa Boyce, reported to Klages that Nassar sexually assaulted them.
Klages questioned the girls, asked them who they had told, instructed them to not speak of
incident, and never inform their parents of the sexual assault.257 Klages indicated to Boyce that
she must be misinterpreting Nassar.258 “I was silenced. I just wasn’t going to say anything else,”
Boyce stated, as she hoped Klages, a trusted adult, would properly handle the incident.259
Instead, Klages told Nassar about the complaint. Nassar made Boyce feel guilty by explaining
that he was helping her. After conversation, Boyce felt lucky to work with such an admired
physician and later apologized to Nassar.260 At Nassar’s sentencing hearing, Boyce stated, “This
could have stopped in 1997. But instead of notifying authorities or even my parents, we were
interrogated. We were led to believe we were misunderstanding a medical technique…I told an
247
248
Associated Press, supra note 242.
249
Id.
250
251
252
Id.
253
Id.
254
Id.
255
256
257
Id.
258
259
260

adult. I told Michigan State University.”261 In 1998, another student-athlete at MSU reported to
trainers and coaches her concerns regarding Nassar’s sexual assault. However, the institution
took no action following these complaints.262 Once again in 2000, a student-athlete at MSU
reported concerns about Nassar’s sexual assaults to trainers and coaches. According to a lawsuit
in 2017, the institution once again took no disciplinary actions.263
Dating back two decades, various individuals claim that they notified Klages of Nassar’s
sexual assaults.264 These individuals all claim the same story- university professionals reacted
with lack of action and stressed that the young athletes should feel privileged to have worked
with the renowned Team USA doctor.265 After Nassar’s secrets were uncovered years later,
Klages began to receive punishment. On February 13, 2017, Klages was suspended by MSU
after a woman in court claimed that Klages discouraged her from filing a sexual assault
complaint against Nassar in the 1990’s.266 The next day, Klages announced her retirement, and a
second gymnast stated in court that Klages discouraged her from reporting Nassar’s sexual
assault.267 In August 2018, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office charged Klages with two
counts of lying to a police officer when asked about the connection to the investigation of
Nassar. One charge is a felony, while the other is a misdemeanor.268 If convicted, Klages faces
up to four years in prison and her bond was set at $5,000 with $500 to be posted for her
release.269 In a recent motion regarding Klages’s trial, a judge declined to dismiss the felony
charge for lying to the police.270
Other MSU authorities were also revealed as facilitators of Nassar’s crimes. For
example, former MSU President, Lou Anna Simon, resigned hours after Nassar was sentenced,
despite receiving requests from students, faculty members, and others pleading for her to resign
for months prior to his sentencing.271 Simon stated, “I can never say enough that I am so sorry
that a trusted, renowned physician turned out to be an evil predator, and I am sorry that we did
not discover his crimes and remove him from our community sooner.”272 When speaking to
Michigan State Police in May 2018, it was discovered that Simon made false and misleading
261
Danielle Burgos, Where Is Kathie Klages in 2019? Larry Nassar’s Former Colleague Is Facing Charges,
BUSTLE (May 3, 2019), https://www.bustle.com/p/where-is-kathie-klages-in-2019-larry-nassars-former-colleague-
is-facing-charges-17130099
262
263
Id.
264
Sharon Lynn Pruitt, Who is Coach Kathie Klages And Did She Know About Larry Nassar Abusing Gymnasts?,
OXYGEN (May 3, 2019, 5:55 PM), https://www.oxygen.com/martinis-murder/who-is-coach-kathie-klages-and-did-
she-know-about-larry-nassar-abusing-gymnasts
265
266
267
Id.
268
Megan Banta, Judge declines to dismiss felony charge against former MSU coach Kathie Klages, THE LANSING
STATE JOURNAL (Aug. 7, 2019, 12:58 PM),
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2019/08/07/kathie-klages-larry-nassar-msu-michigan-state-
gymnastics/1933902001/
269
Matt Mencarini, Kathie Klages charges tied to two teens’ complaints of Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse in 1997,
THE LANSING STATE JOURNAL (Aug. 30, 2018, 6:30 AM),
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2018/08/30/kathie-klages-charges-arraignment-larry-
nassar/1124034002/
270
At the date of finalization, November 2019. Banta, supra note 268.
271
272
Id.

statements, which included that she was unaware of the 2014 complaint that prompted the Title
IX investigation.273 However, Simon has since publicly stated that she was notified of the Title
IX complaint and police report, but was unaware that it was Nassar who was being accused
because the complaint had been filed against an unnamed physician.274 She has since been
charged by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office for lying to police, racking up two felony
counts and two misdemeanors.275 Simon will stand trial for these four charges.276
Also, Mark Hollis, who served as MSU’s Athletic Director for ten years, resigned in
January 2018. This resignation also came days after Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in
prison.277 Additionally, Hollis’ resignation came shortly after the NCAA began to investigate
MSU for its’ handlings of the Nassar allegations.278 Hollis has stated that he was unaware of any
sexual assault accusations against Nassar prior to the Indianapolis Star’s published article in
2016.279 The list of complaints that Hollis claims he was unaware of include: Thomashow’s
Title IX Complaint in 2014, any police investigations, and any complaints made to former
faculty members such as former MSU Gymnastics Head Coach Kathie Klages and multiple
athletic trainers.280
D. MSU and NCAA Investigations, Reports, and Settlements
MSU launched its independent investigation into the school’s handling (or mishandling)
of the Nassar case. However, the investigation was assigned to internal university lawyers, who
are also responsible for defending MSU against civil lawsuits.281 The NCAA also conducted its
own investigation and concluded that the university did not violate any of the NCAA’s
regulations.282 Specifically, NCAA Vice President Jonathon Duncan stated, in a letter to MSU,
that the NCAA found no violations upon review of MSU’s response to complaints of Nassar’s
sexual assaults while he was the university’s doctor.283
273
Matt Mencarini, Kara Berg, & RJ Wolcott, Ex-MSU President Lou Anna Simon charged with lying to police
about Nassar investigation, THE LANSING STATE JOURNAL (Nov. 20, 2018, 2:18 PM),
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2018/11/20/msu-michigan-state-lou-anna-simon-larry-nassar-
criminal-charges/2068121002/
274
Associated Press, Former Michigan State president charged with lying to police about Larry Nassar, THE L.A.
TIMES (Nov. 21, 2018 7:15 AM), https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-michigan-state-nassar-20181121-story.html
275
Mencarini, Berg, & Wolcott, supra note 273.
276
At the date of finalization, November 2019. See Megan Banta and Carol Thompson, Former MSU president Lou
Anna Simon to stand trial on charges of lying to police about Nassar complaint, THE LANSING STATE JOURNAL
(Oct. 28, 2019, 3:08 PM), https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2019/10/28/lou-anna-simon-msu-
michigan-state-university-larry-nassar/1621618001/
277
Chris Solari, Michigan State AD Mark Hollis resigns: ‘It’s the right time to let people heal’, THE LANSING STATE
JOURNAL (Jan. 26, 2018), https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports/college/msu/2018/01/26/michigan-state-
athletic-director-mark-hollis-resign-nassar-sexual-assault/1069003001/
278
Solari, supra note 277.
279
Kyle Austin, Mark Hollis says he didn’t know of Nassar allegations until 2016, defends decision-making, M LIVE
(Jan. 26, 2018), https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2018/01/mark_hollis_says_he_didnt_know.html
280
Austin, supra note 279.
281
282
Dan Murphy, Michigan State: NCAA finds no rule violation in sexual assault cases, ESPN (Aug. 30, 2018)
https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/24523562/michigan-state-says-cleared-violations-larry-nassar-
scandal-ncaa
283
Murphy, supra note 282.

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) completed a report on MSU’s actions (and
lack thereof) of Nassar’s destructive tenure within the institution.284 MSU has been fined $4.5
million (the largest Clery Act fine to date) directly because of the institutions “systemic failure to
protect students from sexual abuse.”285 More specifically, the DOE has stated that:
“Michigan State will now pay for its failures and will be required to make
meaningful changes for how it handles Title IX cases moving forward. No future
student should have to endure what too many did because concerns about Larry
Nassar and William Strampel were ignored.”286
The report found that a total of eleven girls and women told university officials or
campus security about Nassar’s sexual assaults. These incidents involved minors, who reported
Nassar’s abuse to trusted coaches or athletic trainers at MSU.287 Additionally, the report found
that MSU did not maintain proper statistics of crimes, provide warnings to campus, or notify
safety authorities.288 The DOE report states:
“The university’s persistent failure to take swift and decisive action to detect and
stop Nassar’s two-decade long predatory and abusive behavior indicates a lack of
institutional control, especially in the light of credible information reported to
institutional officials at several points of many years.”289
The DOE is now requiring that MSU provide accommodations for victims (such as
counseling), in addition to placing the university on a five-year period of special compliance
monitoring.290 In response to this report, MSU must conduct internal reviews and changes to
procedures, such as providing accurate and complete crime statistics.291 MSU is currently
working on these remediations and the school spokeswoman, Emily Guerrant, conveyed that this
process would take up to several months to finish.292
Recently (February 2019), MSU has won a bid to disqualify the Nichols Law Firm PLLC
from representing Nassar plaintiffs.293 In previous cases, the firm represented a former MSU
employee who defended Nassar’s conduct, therefore a federal judge ruled that this created a
conflict of interest. Nichols worked for Lisa DeStefano who was a doctor in MSU’s College of
284
Associated Press, Michigan State blasted in federal report for failure to stop Larry Nassar, NBC NEWS (Jan. 31,
2019, 5:15 AM) https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michigan-state-blasted-federal-report-failure-stop-larry-
nassar-n965216
285
Gregory Wallace & Eric Levenson, Michigan State University is fined a record $4.5 million for the Larry Nassar
sexual abuse scandal, CNN (Sept. 5, 2019, 2:00 PM) https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/05/us/larry-nassar-michigan-
state-fine/index.html
286
Wallace & Levenson, supra note 285.
287
288
289
290
291
292
Id.
293
Mike LaSusa, Nassar Plaintiffs’ Lawyers DQ’ed From Sex Abuse Trial, LAW 360 (Feb. 1, 2019, 10:06 PM),
https://www.law360.com/legalethics/articles/1124964?utm_source=shared-
articles&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=shared-articles

Osteopathic Medicine.294 Within an interview in 2014, Dr. DeStefano pronounced that in a case
of alleged abuse, Nassar’s conduct was medically appropriate. She later disavowed her
statements from MSU investigators, but it was after Nichols sued MSU.295 Therefore, U.S.
District Judge Gordon J. Quist of Michigan’s Western District announced this was too late,
“Nichols was in a position to learn confidential information from Dr. DeStefano – an employee
of MSU and a physician who was consulted during MSU’s internal investigation into Nassar’s
conduct – that could be used against her employer, MSU, in suing MSU,”.296 The firm plans on
appealing the ruling.
Additionally, MSU has reached a $500 million settlement with Nassar’s victims.297 This
is believed to be the largest settlement of sexual assault claims reached involving an American
university, dwarfing the sexual assault cases within Pennsylvania State University and the
Roman Catholic Church.298 “When you pay half a billion dollars, it’s an admission of
responsibility,” stated John Manly, a lawyer of many of Nassar’s victims.299 MSU’s credit rating
has since decreased and the university has not indicated how it intends to pay the settlement.
Unfortunately, taxpayers and MSU students are likely to absorb some of the costs.300
V. THE UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (USOC)

A. The Intent and Structure of the USOC
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is the National Governing Body (NGB)
for both the National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee.301 It is
responsible for empowering, supporting, and protecting America’s top athletes. Founded in
1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the USOC is a non-profit organization
that provides performance grants, training facilities, sports medicine, coaching education, health
insurance, education services, travel/apparel, and safe sport and anti-doping programming.302
The USOC is led by a CEO and governed by a board of directors which consists of sixteen
individuals who meet four times per year.303 There are three constituent councils, which serve as
sources of opinion and advice to the board. These individuals include: The Athlete’s Advisory
Council, National Governing Bodies Council, and Multi-Sport Organizations Council. Both the
Athletes’ Advisory Council and the National Governing Bodies Council consist of three
representatives, while the other six members are independent.304 The USOC directly oversees
294
LaSusa, supra note 293.
295
Id.
296
Id.
297
Mitch Smith & Anemona Hartocollis, Michigan State’s $500 Million for Nassar Victims Dwarfs Other
Settlements, THE N.Y. TIMES (May 16, 2018), https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/16/us/larry-nassar-michigan-state-
settlement.html
298
Smith & Hartocollis, supra note 297.
299
Id.
300
Id.
301
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, TEAM USA, https://www.teamusa.org/about-the-usopc (last
visited Apr. 2, 2020).
302
Team USA, supra note 301.
303
Board of Directors, TEAM USA, https://www.teamusa.org/about-the-usopc/meetings/board-of-directors (last
visited Apr. 2, 2020).
304

USAG, as it promoted USAG as the sport’s national governing body since it was the member
organization which produced the U.S. Olympic gymnasts.
B. Scott Blackmun and Alan Ashley
Longtime USOC leaders, Scott Blackmun and Alan Ashley, have received much of the
public scrutiny for the USOC’s lack of action when handling complaints of Nassar’s sexual
assault. Blackmun and Ashley were the highest paid individuals within the USOC, and received
bonuses based on Americans successfully competing at the Olympic Games.305
Blackmun first joined the USOC as General Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs in
1998. He then moved to Senior Managing Director in 2000, which was followed by his role as
acting CEO from November 2000 to October 2001.306 He left the organization and returned in
January 2010 as CEO, which ended with an unexpected resignation in 2018, following public
backlash after the Nassar case. The USOC announced that Blackmun resigned due to medical
reasons as he had struggled with “ongoing health issues from prostate cancer”.307 The timing of
Blackmun’s resignation was unfortunate because of his critical role in the organization that
supported USAG. The board continues to support Blackmun, but others discredit and blame him
for the sexual assault scandals within the USOC’s member institutions (e.g., USA Gymnastics,
USA Swimming, and USA Diving).308
Alan Ashley also held a high-profile role within the USOC. His responsibilities included
supervising the USOC’s divisions that provides resources and support for the national governing
bodies.309 Ashley worked on funding services for sports medicine, sports science, coaching, and
on-site operations which support athlete’s performance at the Olympics.310 Ashley was fired by
the current USOC CEO, Sarah Hirshland immediately after an independent report proved Ashley
failed to act properly after receiving information about Nassar’s sexual abuse.311
It is important to note that in 1999, former USAG President, Bob Calarasi, wrote a letter
to the USOC raising concerns about how the organization handled various cases of abuse by
coaches.312 This included physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Within the letter, he stated that
USAG’s then-current system was not effective enough and that it would get them in trouble.
Copied on the letter was Scott Blackmun, the at the time General Counsel and Director or Legal
305
Christine Brennan, USOC fires chief of sport performance Alan Ashley after his silence in Nassar case, USA
TODAY (Dec. 10, 2018, 2:30 PM), https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2018/12/10/larry-nassar-case-
usoc-fires-chief-sport-performance-alan-ashley/2268573002/
306
Scott Blackmun named to lead U.S. Olympic Committee, TEAM USA (Jan. 6, 2010, 9:50 AM),
https://www.teamusa.org/News/2010/January/06/Scott-Blackmun-named-to-lead-U-S-Olympic-Committee
307
Amy Held, CEO Of U.S. Olympic Committee Resigns Citing Health Concerns Amid Nassar Fallout, NATIONAL
PUBLIC RADIO (Feb. 28, 2018, 5:40 PM), https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/28/589588179/ceo-of-
u-s-olympic-committee-resigns-citing-health-concerns-amid-nassar-fallout
308
A.J. Perez, U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun resigns, USA TODAY (Feb. 28, 2018, 3:51 PM)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2018/02/28/u-s-olympic-committee-ceo-scott-blackmun-
resigns/382569002/
309
Brennan, supra note 305.
310
Id.
311
Frank Pingue, USOC failed to protect athletes from sex abuse: report, REUTERS (Dec. 10, 2018, 2:44 PM),
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-usoc/usoc-failed-to-protect-athletes-from-sex-abuse-report-
idUSKBN1O92HS
312

Affairs for the USOC. All in all, as far as back as 1999, there is written proof that the USOC had
knowledge of USAG’s flawed system yet failed to improve…and the rest is painful history.313
C. The USOC Receives Complaint from USAG about Larry Nassar
In February 2018, the USOC hired the law firm of Ropes and Gray to investigate when
the USAG and USOC administrators first became aware of Nassar’s abuse and their response
after receiving that information.314 The law firm’s independent 233-page report described the
lack of action of USAG’s and the USOC’s highest leaders - Penny, Blackmun, and Ashley.315 In
part, the law firm’s report revealed that during a phone call in July 2015, Penny reported to
Blackmun and Ashley that there had been allegations of Nassar’s sexual assault.316 Throughout
the conversation, Penny relayed that the FBI was investigating Nassar’s allegations. Penny
wanted to avoid “sending shockwaves through the community,”.317 Remarkably, Penny is
described throughout the report as repeatedly attempting to engage the FBI to further investigate
Nassar.318 Unfortunately, the case appeared to have died down within the FBI’s Detroit office.
USAG then attempted to take the investigations to the FBI’s Los Angeles office, but it was too
late because The Indianapolis Star report was published before any real action could be taken.319
As a result, young girls and women continued to be sexually assaulted by Nassar between the
time of the phone conversation in 2015 and the publication of the article in The Indianapolis Star
in 2016.320
It turns out that Blackmun and Ashley were aware of Nassar’s abuse prior to the article in
The Indianapolis Star, but failed to share this information with anyone within the USOC.321 In
an email that was later deleted by Blackmun and Ashley, Penny notified the administrators that
Nassar had retired from USAG in September 2015.322 After conducting interviews with more
than one hundred witnesses and reviewing over 1.3 million documents, the Ropes and Gray
report concluded that Nassar took advantage of the environment that was fostered within
Olympic sports, such as gymnastics, because the atmosphere was beneficial for his criminal
behavior.323 As the Ropes and Gray report asserts, Nassar’s sexual assault concluded as “A
manifestation of the broader failures at USAG and the USOC to adopt appropriate child-
protective policies and procedures to ensure a culture of safety for young athletes.”324
313
Id.
314
Brennan, supra note 305.
315
Eddie Pells, U.S. Olympic Committee fires Alan Ashley, chief of sport performance, over his silence in Larry
Nassar sexual abuse case, THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE (Dec. 10, 2018),
https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/olympics/ct-spt-usoc-alan-ashley-larry-nassar-20181210-story.html
316
Will Hobson, Ex-USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny indicted on tampering charges, THE WASH. POST (Oct.
18, 2018, 4:23 AM), https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/ex-usa-gymnastics-president-steve-penny-
indicted-on-tampering-charges/2018/10/18/3cde8d54-d287-11e8-8c22-fa2ef74bd6d6_story.html
317
Pells, supra note 315.
318
Id.
319
Id.
320
Pingue, supra note 311.
321
Id.
322
323
Pingue, supra note 311.
324
Id.

D. New Policies at the USOC

The USOC has begun to implement new reforms and initiatives that include new
leadership and more stringent accountability measures.325 Some of these reforms include:
counseling and other services for Olympic and Paralympic athletes recovering from abuse, an
advisory board comprised of abuse survivors, psychologists, and advocates, review of its existing
structure between the USOC and the sports it oversees, and doubling the funding for the U.S.
Center for Safe Sport (also known as Safe Sport).326
Based in Denver, Colorado, Safe Sport is intended to protect and ensure safety within the
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic community regarding emotional, physical, and sexual assault. Safe
Sport is the “…only national organization of its kind focused on ending all forms of abuse in
sport.”327 Any allegations of emotional, physical, sexual abuse, and sexual misconduct about an
individual within the U.S. Olympic or Paralympic organizations must be reported to Safe
Sport.328 The organization provides prevention techniques, policies, best practices, and
educational programs focused on ending abuse within sports. It is funded by the U.S. Olympic
and Paralympic Committee, as well as donations from the Department of Justice. All of the
USOC member National Governing Bodies are under the jurisdiction of Safe Sport (including
USAG).329
In February 2018, President Trump signed the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual
Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act330 into law which requires organizations under the
USOC to report cases of abuse to The U.S. Center of Safe Sport.331 Inspired by the Nassar
scandal, several of Nassar’s victims help create this act.332 It has three prongs including:
requiring all coaches, trainers, and others to report any sexual abuse allegations to the police
within a 24-hour period, it extends the statute of limitations to up to 10 years after a victim
realizes he/she was abused, and it limits athletes under the age of 18 from being alone with an
adult who isn’t their parent.333 Specifically, this Act “changes the civil statute of limitations to
10 years from the date the victim reasonably discovers the violation or injury (currently, 10 years
from the date the cause of action arose). The bill also extends the statute of limitations for a
minor victim of human trafficking or federal sex offense to file a civil action to 10 years
(currently, 3 years) from the date such individual reaches age 18.”334 Anyone who has been
sexually assaulted manages differently, therefore their timeline is different as well. This has
325
Id.
326
Perez, supra note 308.
327
U.S. Center for SafeSport Marks One-Year Anniversary of Groundbreaking Legislation, U.S. CENTER FOR
SAFESPORT, https://uscenterforsafesport.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/1550181471812.press-release-2.14.19.pdf
(last visited Apr. 2, 2020).
328
U.S. Center for SafeSport, supra note 327.
329
Athlete Services, TEAM USA, https://www.teamusa.org/team-usa-athlete-services/safe-sport
(last visited Apr. 2, 2020).
330
Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, Pub. L. No 115-126 §
220542, 132 Stat. 318, 322 (2018) (To be codified).
331
Perez, supra note 308.
332
333
Id.
334
(Pub. L. No. 115-126 § 220,542, 132 Stat. 318, 322).

been portrayed by the numerous victims of Nassar’s assaults that continue to come out publicly.
Baumann explained the importance of this revision on the statute of limitations:
“Everyone has their own timeline when it comes to speaking up about their
experience. It is a traumatic event, and many do not realize what happened until
much later.”335
Therefore, this Act goes far enough in accomplishing an acceptable timeline for victims
to form a complaint under the law.
VI. OTHER SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES WITHIN MEMBER INSTITUTIONS OF THE

USOC
A. USA Swimming
Hundreds of coaches/officials within USA Swimming have been accused of sexual
assault, and the lack of consequences within the organization are disappointing. An investigative
report from the Southern California News Group found that for decades USA Swimming
encountered hundreds of cases of sexual abuse, yet the organization covered them up or simply
ignored them.336 The report states that USA Swimming enabled sexual predators within the
sport, as most of those accused were authority figures such as coaches and top officials. Similar
to USAG, the culture fostered in USA Swimming has been described as abusive. However, one
of the main differences between the sexual assault scandals with USAG and USA Swimming is
that in USA Swimming, it was socially acceptable that coaches had sexual relationships with
their underage athletes. Furthermore, as former Olympic swimmer and founder of the advocacy
group Champion Women, Nancy Hogshead-Maker, described that marriages between top
coaches and swimmers were normal and problematic within the organization.337
One example of sexual assault comes from former Olympic swimmer Ariana Kukors
Smith who has accused her former coach Sean Hutchison of grooming her at a young age, then
sexually assaulting her.338 Smith has stated that Hutchison began grooming her in 2003 when
she was thirteen, sexually molesting her when she was sixteen, then engaging in intercourse
when she turned eighteen.339 More specifically, she described that he kissed, fondled, and
performed oral sex on her, but waited until she turned eighteen to engage in direct intercourse.340
On the other side, Hutchison claimed that they were in a “committed relationship” after the 2012
Olympics (which lasted more than one year), but has denied other allegations.341 “I absolutely
335
336
Alanna Vagianos, Explosive Report Says USA Swimming Covered Up Hundreds of Sexual Abuse Cases, THE
HUFFINGTON POST (Feb. 19, 2018, 1:40 PM), https://www.huffpost.com/entry/usa-swimming-sexual-
abuse_n_5a8ad81fe4b004fc3194c4b2?guccounter=1
337
338
Alanna Vagianos, Olympic Swimmer Says Former USA Swimming Coach Sexually Abused Her For Years, THE
HUFFINGTON POST (Feb. 8, 2018, 10:00 AM), https://www.huffpost.com/entry/olympic-swimmer-ariana-kukors-
former-usa-swimming-coach-sexually-abused-her_n_5a7c4c6de4b044b38219f016
339
Emanuella Grinberg, USA Swimming covered up ‘pedophile’ coach, lawsuit says, CNN (May 22, 2018, 12:20
PM), https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/22/us/usa-swimming-lawsuit-ariana-kukors-smith/index.html
340
Grinberg, supra note 339.
341

deny having any sexual or romantic relationship with her before she was old enough to legally
make those decisions for herself…prior to that time, I did nothing to ‘groom’ her.”342 Hutchison
has since been permanently banned from coaching swimming for life, which has been posted on
Safe Sport’s public website.343
Smith’s lawsuit claimed that officials engaged in cover-ups to protect Hutchison from
any consequences.344 Specifically, Susan Woessner, former director of Safe Sport for USA
Swimming, resigned after admitting to an “intimately personal relationship with Hutchison, who
had been the focus of a sexual abuse investigation in 2010-11 overseen by Woessner.345
Further, background screenings of coaches, such as Hutchison, were manipulated to hide
complaints lodged against certain coaches. This type of action allowed coaches to abuse young
athletes within a culture of turning a blind eye. The lawsuit also claimed that, at the time of the
abuse, Smith was unable to recognize the abuse because of Hutchison’s controlling position
within the organization.346
The Southern California News Group investigation established five principal claims. Top
USA Swimming executives, officials, and coaches knew of multiple sexual predators in coaching
positions for years and did nothing to stop it.347 Since 1997, there have been at least 590 alleged
victims of sexual assault with 252 coaches/officials arrested, charged, or disciplined by USA
Swimming for sexual misconduct or sexual assault with athletes under age 18. At least 30
coaches/officials have been accused of or arrested by law enforcement for sexual assault or child
pornography. The organization spent money settling sexual assault cases prior to the public’s
finding of these incidents, and they (USA Swimming) spent over $75,000 (to lobbying firms) to
organize against California legislation that would have made it easier for sexual assault survivors
to sue their attacker or the organization they worked for in civil suits.348 The report concluded
that the organization has been “unwilling to take on its coach-centric power base and obsessed
with protecting its image and brand,”.349
This report conclusively found that complaints of sexual abuse were not handled
appropriately because of “…inadequate oversight, many local coaches, and a failure to report
inappropriate contact they witnessed,” throughout the organization.350 Top officials for USA
Swimming failed to properly notify authorities, remove the abuser, or do anything to handle the
accusations ethically.
342
343
Stefanie Loh, Report: Swim coach who allegedly sexually abused Ariana Kurkors Smith banned from the sport
for life, THE SEATTLE TIMES (Oct. 7, 2018, 2:12 PM), https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/olympics/swim-coach-
who-allegedly-sexually-abused-ariana-kukors-smith-banned-from-the-sport-for-life/
344
345
A.J. Perez, Former national team swim coach Sean Hutchison permanently banned by SafeSport, USA TODAY
(Oct. 5, 2018, 11:45 PM), https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2018/10/05/swimming-coach-sean-
hutchison-banned-life-safesport/1542463002/
346
347
348
Id.
349
Id.
350
T.J. Quinn and Greg Amante, Sex abuse pervasive in USA Swimming, ESPN (Apr. 9, 2010),
https://www.espn.com/espn/otl/news/story/_/id/5071820

B. USA Diving
Class action lawsuits against USA Diving and an Indiana diving school accused the
organization of not protecting its’ athletes from coaches who sexually abused them.351 Several
coaches at RipFest, a diving club in Indiana, have been accused in a lawsuit which was enabled
by “a culture that tolerated sexual harassment, objectification, assault, and abuse,”.352 Some of
the coaches accused of sexual assault include former coaches Johel Ramirez and Will Bohonyi.
Ramirez was accused of touching a diver outside of her swimsuit dozens of times while
stretching her.353 Ripfest has stated that after receiving knowledge regarding Ramirez’s
allegations they, “immediately removed him from our program, instructed him not to return to
our facility pending the outcome of the investigated and terminated him,”.354 However, former
divers at Ripfest explained in the lawsuit that they complained to Coach John Wingfield about
Ramirez’s strange behavior. Wingfield allegedly responded by explaining how Ramirez is
“Venezuelan and that’s just how they are,”.355 In September 2018, Ramirez was convicted of
battery and sentenced to more than a year and a half in jail.356
Bohonyi was accused of coercing and forcing two former divers into having sex. Former
Ohio State diver Estee Pryor has accused Bohonyi of pressuring her into sex, beginning when
she was 16 years old.357 She also accused of Bohonyi of videotaping and taking photos of the
sexual acts. “It started through talking about my personality, telling me I was the most honest
and mature and kind girl he’s ever met. It became sexual very fast,” explained Pryor.358
Bohonyi has since been sentenced to four years in prison for sexual assault at Ohio State.359
During sentencing, Bohonyi admitted to the charge, explained that he tried to hide his criminal
behavior, and apologized to Pryor.360 Robert Allard, Pryor’s attorney has stated that USA
Diving knew about Bohonyi’s sexual interactions with Pryor for seven months, then banned him
from the organization. He believes that USA Swimming, Ohio State University, and the USOC
should have done more sooner to protect divers from sexual predators.361 “By no means is this
case unique in the Olympic movement. The medals and the money priority that the USOC
places on matters has to change. We need to put that safety of children first and foremost
especially when they’re being raped and sexually assaulted by their coaches.”362
351
Scooby Axson, USA Diving Faces Another Lawsuit Over Sexual Abuse Allegations, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (Oct.
2, 2018), https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/10/02/usa-diving-sexual-abuse-lawsuit
352
Axson, supra note 351.
353
Id.
354
Id.
355
Id.
356
Id.
357
Hayley Miller, Former USA Diving Coach Pleads Guilty To Sexual Battery of Teen Diver, THE HUFFINGTON
POST (May 23, 2019, 4:02 PM), https://www.huffpost.com/entry/william-bohonyi-estee-
pryor_n_5ce6d5b2e4b05c15dea8c9d2
358
Miller, supra note 357.
359
Cassandra Negley, Ex-Ohio State, USA Diving coach William Bohonyi sentenced to 4 years for sexually abusing
teen, YAHOO SPORTS (Aug. 12, 2019), https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ex-ohio-state-usa-diving-coach-william-
bohonyi-sentenced-to-4-years-for-sexually-abusing-teen-184228175.html
360
Negley, supra note 359.
361
Miller, supra note 357.
362
Id.

VII. CORRECTIVE POLICIES

A. The Need for a New Approach
Since the Nassar scandal, USAG has agreed to make numerous reforms and policy
changes. Now, USAG requires mandated SafeSport training for all members of the
organization.363 Additionally, USAG does not handle any cases of sexual abuse, because they all
go through the U.S. Center for SafeSport.364 “All members are required to report any suspected
sexual misconduct to legal authorities and the US Center for SafeSport,”.365 Gymnasts who are
minors are no longer allowed to be alone with an adult. For example, adults cannot
communicate, travel, or provide medical treatment one-on-one with a gymnast.366 Additionally,
“Any adult who has been kicked out of a club will be tracked in a database to make sure he or
she doesn’t endanger athletes in other clubs.”367 USAG has also updated it’s SafeSport policy in
order to more specifically define various forms of abuse in addition to explain prevention
efforts.368 Previously, the policy only defined sexual misconduct.369
The current President of USAG, Li Li Leung, has also worked to implement a culture
shift within USAG. She is more transparent, wants to connect with the community at all levels
of the sport, build trust, and allow gymnasts to have a voice, which has not been the case in the
past.370 Leung is aware of horrific incidents that have occurred in the past, and does not want to
suppress their (the gymnasts) voice in any fashion.371 For example, Simone Biles, arguably the
top gymnast in the world, has publicly declared her disappointment in USAG’s response to the
Nassar scandal: “We’ve done everything they asked [of] us, even when we didn’t want to. And
they couldn’t do one damn job. You had one job. You literally had one job, and you couldn’t
protect us.”372
With that being said, there is still a long way to go in regard to an improvement in
corrective policies for athletic organizations. Gymnasts for USAG still fear that if they form a
complaint, they could be harmed by an intense workout or loss of competition.373 Additionally,
the organization appears to have scurried to implement policies. Now, coaches are terrified that
if an allegation is made, their careers will be over. They do not feel protected by the
organization and are considering making a career shift.374
363
364
Id.
365
Holly Yan, USA Gymnastics agrees to dozens of changes amid sex abuse scandal, CNN (June 27, 2017, 4:35
PM), https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/27/health/usa-gymnastics-policy-changes/index.html
366
367
368
Id.
369
370
371
Id.
372
Associated Press, Simone Biles on USA Gymnastics: ‘You didn’t protect us’, NBC SPORTS (Aug. 7, 2019, 7:04
PM), https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2019/08/07/simone-biles-gymnastics/
373
374
Id.

As shown by the USA Swimming and USA Diving experiences, sexual assault of young
athletes is not merely a gymnastics issue. It is importance for all organizations involved with
young athletes to implement and follow policies to help identify and stop predators.
This section discusses ways in which athletic organizations, such as USAG, MSU, and
the USOC, could and should develop and implement corrective policies to address sexual assault
in athletic organizations.
B. A Case Study: Arizona State University’s Resources for Sexual Violence
As a former student-athlete at Arizona State University (ASU), I have researched ASU’s
current policies about sexual violence to better understand established policies. ASU offers
various resources of support for individuals within the ASU community (including students,
staff, faculty, and possibly affiliates) when reporting cases of sexual violence.375 These
resources are dedicated to prioritizing the health, safety, and well-being of these individuals.376
Students may report sexual violence to any ASU staff, faculty, teaching assistants, and student
employees, who are all mandatory reporters 377. ASU Health Services, ASU Counseling, the
ASU Police Victim Advocate, and the ASU Hotline are all confidential resources.378
For incidents of sexual assault, specific resources include: the ASU Dean of Students,
Student Rights and Responsibilities (SRR), the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) (name
recently changed to the Office of University Rights and Responsibilities), and ASU Police or
local police.379 The SRR can be utilized by students filing a complaint against another ASU
student. Initially following a report, the SRR offers students protection such as: academic
adjustments, room assignment changes, no contact orders, and counseling services.380 Through
the SRR, the Student Advocacy and Assistance provides reporting options and additional support
services such as: assistance when completing a Code of Conduct complaint, assistance with
absence letters, attendance, enrollment options, advocacy for changes in on-campus living
arrangements, and referrals to campus and community resources. Following the completion of
an investigation, both the complainant and respondent are notified of the results and have the
option to appeal the deciding judgment (deciding judgement could include expulsion or
suspension).381
If an incident involves ASU faculty, staff, coach, or administrator, students are
encouraged to make a report with the Office of University Rights and Responsibilities (URR).382
Throughout this process, the URR initially begins with an interview. During the review process,
the URR may implement temporary changes, such as: work or location adjustments, zero contact
orders, and counseling.383 Following the investigation, the URR concludes if there was a policy
375
Interview with Sara Trower, Associate General Counsel, Arizona State University (Aug. 23, 2019).
376
SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RESOURCE GUIDE FOR ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY (Arizona State University, 2016).
377
Mandatory Reporter- An individual who is required to report abuse to proper authorities due to his/her
profession.
378
Confidential Resource- Depending on state and federal laws, these individuals do not share information unless
given permission from the complainant.
379
Arizona State University, supra note 376.
380
Id.
381
Id.
382
Id.
383
Id.

violation. These findings are accepted or rejected by an ASU executive designee. This decision
is communicated to the reporting party, the accused, and the appropriate university
administration.384
If reporting sexual assault to the ASU Police or local police departments, a victim is not
obligated to press charges against the accused.385 It is important to note that reporting’s to the
SRR or the URR can be done in addition to a police report. Police reports begin with an
interview which includes a forensic exam, witness statements, and collection of evidence.386
Depending on the case, the police may make referrals to institution or community resources. If
prosecuted, there will be a preliminary hearing, court date, and ultimately a verdict.387
In addition to the resources listed above, ASU provides Title IX Coordinators and Sun
Devil Support, which both work as peer advisors. Title IX Coordinators maintain a significant
role with regard to sexual violence because they oversee all complaints by or against ASU
students, student-athletes, faculty, staff, and visitors.388 Additionally, Title IX Coordinators
oversee ASU’s response to Title IX complaints, develop training and education programming for
students, faculty, and staff, and monitors trends and effectiveness of this educational
programming.389
Students also have the option of receiving confidential support to help with any legal,
medical, psychological, or academic support. Confidential support providers are not mandatory
reporters; therefore, they do not report any information shared and keep it intimate unless
otherwise instructed. There are services both on and off campus which include: ASU
Counseling Services, ASU Police Department Victim Advocate, Employee Assistance Office
(EAO), National Sexual Assault Hotline and Website, and ASU Health Services.390 This support
can also assist with reviewing options for the next step in the reporting process.
VIII. RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE POLICIES

A. The organization should treat all allegations of sexual violence seriously and respond
quickly
At USAG, MSU, and the USOC, athletes were stifled and put off when raising concerns
about Nassar’s sexual assaults. For example, in 2015, when Maggie Nichols filed a formal
complaint with USAG regarding Nassar’s sexual assaults, administrators within the organization
failed to take proper action. This inaction included not notifying the proper authorities in a
timely manner (it took USAG 41 days to notify law enforcement), failing to remove Nassar from
working with other gymnasts, and inadequately processing her complaint.391 At MSU, numerous
employees were notified for decades about Nassar’s sexual assault. MSU’s inaction allowed
Nassar to continue his abuse for years. Because of MSU’s consistent inaction, students feared
384
Id.
385
Id.
386
Id.
387
Id.
388
Id.
389
Id.
390
Id.
391

that their complaints would not be handled appropriately and did not know who they could report
to in order to receive proper attention to the problem. Specifically, when Amanda Thomashow
made her formal Title IX complaint in 2014 against Nassar, she chose not to notify the police
because she feared that they would not be equipped to handle the case.392 Similarly, at the
USOC, after receiving allegations of Nassar’s sexual assaults in 2015, top-paid administrators
within the USOC never notified anyone within the organization (until the Indianapolis Star
article was published in 2016).393
Time and time again, top individuals within the noted organizations selfishly prioritized
their own role instead of protecting the individuals they were responsible for. Taking action
requires the admission of an internal misstep, which is a step that none of these organizations
chose to take. The athletes must be the number one priority; therefore, their safety is imperative.
To learn from previous mistakes, a complete culture shift of protecting athletes first and foremost
is required.
Development of a culture based on athletic safety should create a more comfortable
environment for athletes to file reports of sexual assault and have confidence that the
organization will provide protection and support. Hopefully, with this requirement, athletic
organizations would “spread the word that the protection of athletes is the expected norm,”394.
Deborah J. Daniels, a partner of Krieg DeVault LLP, along with assistance from Praesidium, has
recommended a similar policy in her report to USAG. Her recommendation is entitled:395
1. “Err on the Side of Protecting the Athlete in All Situations”
B. Mandatory education on sexual violence for everyone within the athletic organization
(athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, team physicians, administrators, etc.)
1. SafeSport Education- The U.S. Center for SafeSport is required by federal law to
provide consistent training to all adult members who are in regular contact with
minors and athletes who are minors (subject to parental consent) under the
Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of
2017396. The specific individuals required to take this training are: “…Offered and
given to all adult members who are in regular contact with amateur athletes who are
minors, and subject to parental consent, to members who are minors, regarding
prevention of child abuse…”.397 Organizations that are a part of the U.S. Olympic
and Paralympic Committee are under the jurisdiction of SafeSport and are given for
this training through their sport’s NGB.398 This course includes a 90-Minute
SafeSport Core training while providing additional required refresher trainings after
one year. These trainings explain mandatory reporting, sexual misconduct
392
393
394
DEBORAH J. DANIELS, REPORT TO USA GYMNASTICS ON PROPOSED POLICY AND PROCEDURAL CHANGES FOR THE
PROTECTION OF YOUNG ATHLETES, 61, 68, 71, 74, 79-81, 95 (Krieg Devault LLP, 2017),
https://usagym.org/PDFs/About%20USA%20Gymnastics/ddreport_062617.pdf
395
Daniels, supra note 394, at 68.
396
Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, Pub. L. No 115-126 §
220542, 132 Stat. 318, 322 (2018) (To be codified).
397
Pub. L. No. 115-126 § 220,542, 132 Stat. 318, 322.
398

awareness education, and emotional and physical misconduct.399 Outside

individuals or organizations of the NGBs are offered this education as well, but there
is a monetary requirement and it is not obligatory.400 Additionally, this legislation
requires The U.S. Center for SafeSport to develop oversight procedures which
include regular and random checks of NGBs to ensure that the Center’s policies are
being met and guarantee athlete safety.401 With that being said, the institution
should still monitor the behavior of its’ staff to ensure they are in compliance with
the organization’s policies against sexual violence.
2. NCAA Education- On August 8, 2017, the NCAA Board of Governors adopted the
NCAA Policy to Combat Campus Sexual Violence, which aims to prevent sexual
violence within NCAA member institutions.402 The main requirement of the policy
is that the school president or chancellor, athletics director, and Title IX coordinator
attest that everyone in the athletic department received education regarding sexual
violence prevention.403 Specifically, there are three outlined requirements that these
individuals must attest to:
a) “The athletics department is informed on, integrated in, and complaint with
institutional policies and processes regarding sexual violence prevention and
proper adjudication and resolution of acts of sexual violence.”404
b) “The institutional policies and processes regarding sexual violence prevention
and adjudication, and the name and contact information for the campus Title
IX coordinator405, are readily available within the department of athletics, and
are provided to student-athletes.”406
c) “All student-athletes, coaches, and staff have been educated each year on
sexual violence prevention, intervention and response, to the extent allowable
by state law and collective bargaining agreements.”407
“Further, the athletics department will cooperate with college or university

investigations into reports and matters related to sexual violence involving
399
Training and Educational Services, U.S. CENTER FOR SAFESPORT (2019),
https://uscenterforsafesport.org/training-and-education/training-and-education-services/
400
U.S. Center for SafeSport, supra note 399.
401
Pub. L. No. 115-126 § 220,542, 132 Stat. 318, 322.
402
NCAA Board of Governors Policy on Campus Sexual Violence, NCAA (Aug. 8, 2017),
http://www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/topics/ncaa-board-governors-policy-campus-sexual-violence
403
Interview with Deana Garner-Smith, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Senior Women’s Administrator, Title IX
Coordinator, Arizona State University (Aug. 13, 2019).
404
NCAA, supra note 402.
405
For international members and schools that do not receive federal funding, or are otherwise exempt from Title
IX, the signature should be from the Title IX coordinator or institutional staff member with comparable
responsibilities. Id.
406
Id.
407
Id.

student-athletes and athletics department staff in a manner complaint with

institutional policies for all students.”408
The institution’s president or chancellor, athletics director, and Title IX coordinator have
a set date to turn in the signed document.409 After this deadline, a report is presented to the
NCAA Board of Governors that lists the schools who have completed and failed to complete the
requirements of this policy. Following the approval of this list, the names of the school are
published on the NCAA website.410 Additionally, if an institution cannot attest to the listed
requirements above, the institution “…Will be prohibited from hosting any NCAA championship
competitions for the next applicable academic year.”411 This policy requiring education did not
pass until 2017, after the public disclosure of Nassar’s sexual assaults.
In 2015, former USAG Senior Vice President Rhonda Faehn was notified of Maggie
Nichols complaint regarding Nassar’s sexual assault. As a mandatory reporter, she notified her
boss, former President and CEO of USAG Steve Penny.412 Penny assured Faehn that he was
going to handle the situation. Therefore, Faehn did not notify law enforcement.413 However,
under Indiana law, she had an obligation as a mandatory reporter to report any child abuse
/neglect to the police or the Indiana Department of Child Services.414 State and federal law takes
precedence over any organizations’ internal policy.415 Faehn incorrectly followed the bylaws of
USAG and not the laws of Indiana. The laws for mandatory reporters to notify law enforcement
regarding child abuse vary by state. “In some states, anyone who works with a child is required
to report suspected abuse. In other states, the person with direct knowledge of the abuse is
required to report; while in still other states, the report may be made by a supervisor.”416
Athletic organizations must outline the legal requirements that mandatory reporters must follow
when reporting an incident.
Previously, USAG did not provide or require education on sexual violence for their
gymnasts. Some victims of Nassar’s assaults at USAG did not understand that they were
sexually assaulted by Nassar. These gymnasts had little to no sexual experience, therefore many
were unaware that abuse had occurred. For example, Olympian Tasha Schwikert Moser and her
sister, Jordan Schwikert, were both sexually assaulted by Nassar.417 At the time of the assaults,
Tasha was fifteen, and did not understand the various forms of sexual violence. She thought that
sexual violence was only classified as rape and perceived it as how movies portray the violent
act.418 Nassar did not fit under that description. Therefore, she did not think she was being
sexually assaulted, and was under the impression that she was receiving legitimate medical
408
Id.
409
Board adopts sexual violence policy, NCAA (Aug. 10, 2017, 11:05 AM),
http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/board-adopts-sexual-violence-policy
410
NCAA, supra note 409.
411
Id.
412
Alesia, Kwiatkowski, & Evans, supra note 98.
413
Id.
414
Kwiatkowsi & Evans, supra note 101.
415
Interview with Deana Garner-Smith, supra note 403.
416
417
Interview with Tasha Schwikert Moser, Associate Attorney, Munck Wilson Mandala LLP (Sept. 15, 2019).
418
Interview with Tasha Schwikert Moser, supra note 417.

treatment that would help her train at a high level.419 The Schwikert sisters never even discussed
Nassar’s treatments with one another because they did not know they were being sexually
assaulted.420 Nassar utilized the culture at USAG that fostered vulnerability by brainwashing
gymnasts into believing he cared for them, when in reality he sexually assaulted them through
the guise of medical treatment. It is important to note that USAG now requires all adult (age 18
and up) professionals, instructors, and athletes within the organization take the SafeSport course
on misconduct.421
One can see how this lack of education at USAG and MSU for athletes and
administrators likely contributed to the overall culture that allowed Nassar’s assaults to continue
for years. As such, it appears clear that all athletic organizations, especially those involving
youth, should require education for all involved in the organization which includes: athletes,
coaches, administrators, athletic trainers, team physicians, and parents (if athlete within
organization is minor). For national organizations that consist of athletes of all ages, there
should be different levels of education depending on the age of the athlete.422 This programming
should be often, relevant, and retained by the individual taking the course.423
Daniels has recommended similar policies in her report to USAG. Her recommendations
are entitled:424
1. Implement a Strategic, Comprehensive Abuse Prevention Training Plan for
Members, Parents, and Athletes
2. Create Standalone Course in “Preventing Child Abuse in Gymnastics”
3. Revise and Expand the Current “Preventing Child Abuse in Gymnastics”
Course to Include the Following, at a Minimum: Content and examples
specific to gymnastics, Updated Section on Reporting, and Information about
other types of sexual abuse
4. Ensure that USA Gymnastics Consistently Reinforces the Revised Training
Content Through Annual Training Requirements
5. Create a Required, Annual Safe Sport Training for All Members Regarding
USA Gymnastics’ Revised Abuse Prevention Policies, Procedures, and
Reporting Mechanisms
6. Include Mandatory Plenary Session for All National Congress Attendees on
Safe Sport Requirements and Abuse Prevention Information
7. Require All Member Clubs to Host Annual Training for Coaches, Athletes,
and Parents (All Together) Regarding the Revised Code of Ethical Conduct
and Revised Safe Sport Policy
419
Id.
420
Id.
421
U110: U.S. Center for SafeSport Core Course, USA GYMNASTICS,
https://usagym.org/pages/education/courses/U110/ (last visited Apr. 4, 2019).
422
423
Id.
424
Daniels, supra note 394, at 79-81.

8. Consider Creating a Safe Sport Certification for Clubs

9. Provide Parents with Information about USA Gymnastics Abuse Prevention
Policies and Procedures and How to Protect their Children from Abuse on an
Annual Basis
10. Provide Athletes with Age Appropriate Abuse Prevention Education on an
Annual Basis
C. Impose significant consequences for mandatory reporters and their athletic
organization if they fail to take appropriate action after receiving a complaint or report
Throughout the entirety of Nassar’s tenure within the various organizations, mandatory
reporters failed to take corrective action after receiving complaints. After receiving a complaint
or report, there are necessary steps that mandatory reporters are required to take. If there is an
allegation, the institution should have in place policies that the mandatory reporter follows. This
action does not mean that there has been a violation, it simply means that if a complaint or report
is received, then appropriate action will take place.
Moving forward, governing bodies of athletic organizations should outline and establish
severe penalties if proper action does not take place after mandatory reporters receive a
complaint. Such consequences would establish the seriousness of the role of mandatory
reporting, in addition to help ensure that proper action will take place after a complaint is made.
Depending on the severity of the inaction, penalties such as suspension, termination, or
revocation of championships could seek fit.
D. Mandatory reporters should have an alternative means reporting
An alternative means of reporting would allow mandatory reporters to properly report
complaints without having to go through a chain of authority, because the offender may be in
this chain. Specifically, if the accused is the mandatory reporter’s supervisor, there should be an
alternate route for the mandatory reporter to report up the chain of authority. The institution
should specify this alternative route for the mandatory reporter to report.
The chain of authority obtains a role of power and control which is highly impactful. For
example, when Maggie Nichols mother, Gina Nichols, received a phone call from Steve Penny
regarding Maggie’s complaint against Nassar, Penny used his role and Maggie’s Olympic
dreams to intimidate her action moving forward425. Penny told her to keep the complaint quiet,
and they would handle the complaint. Nichols’ parents remained quiet entrusting in Penny and
USAG426. Nichols parents felt they had no other way to report Maggie’s complaint since they
had notified the President and CEO of USAG, Steve Penny. A similar example was
demonstrated by MSU. Former MSU dean who oversaw Nassar, William Strampel, was recently
sentenced to up to one year of jail for neglect of duty and misconduct in office, which came from
allegations that he sexually harassed students.427 During the trial, many medical students
testified that he made sexual comments and innuendo throughout individual meetings. They
425
426
Id.
427
Associated Press, Ex-dean at Michigan State University with oversight of Larry Nassar gets jail time, CBS NEWS
(Aug. 7, 2019, 3:25 PM), https://www.cbsnews.com/news/larry-nassar-case-ex-dean-william-strampel-michigan-
state-university-sentenced-jail-today-2019-08-07/

never reported the incidents because of the power he held within the medical field, and the
impact that power could have on their future professional careers.428 With an alternate means of
reporting that acts independently, such as a hotline or Title IX Coordinator, individuals such as
Nichols parents would have been able to report out in addition to the conversation they had with
Penny.
Additionally, an alternative means of reporting would provide an outlet for mandatory
reporters if the offender is an authority figure within the mandatory reporter’s chain of authority.
Without this option, the mandatory reporter would have no way to properly report the complaint
without notifying the offender. If the complaint is made through this chain of authority, the
offender may disregard the complaint entirely. Therefore, athletic organizations must provide a
centralized reporting sector. Once again, services that act independently would be equip to
further complaints of sexual violence while also eliminating the offender’s power within the
organization.
E. Require mandatory reporters to document in writing all complaints they receive
USAG failed to track complaints of sexual assault throughout Nassar’s tenure. “USAG
does not have the comprehensive records indicating when it made reports to proper
authorities.”429 Policies within the organization appear to have influenced when and if USAG
employees filed reports of complaints with the police.430 Employees within USAG have claimed
that it was their belief that the “duty to report lies with those who have first-hand knowledge.”431
Prior to reporting Nassar to the FBI, it is estimated that USAG only made “five or six reports to
proper authorities.”432 With this understanding, one can assume that numerous complaints of
sexual assault went unreported because of this ignorance.
Similarly, MSU also failed to track the complaints that were made during Nassar’s
tenure. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has completed a report into MSU regarding
Nassar’s employment at the institution. They concluded that MSU, “…Regularly failed to meet
its requirements to ensure campus safety and welfare.”433 Additionally, MSU violated the Clery
Act, “…A 1990 law requiring colleges and universities that participate in federal student aid
programs to report safety concerns and crime statistics to the public.”434 MSU did not maintain
records of sex crimes, which includes complaints made about Nassar from 2008-2016. Campus
security authorities and university employees all failed to take the proper action when receiving
notification of Nassar’s sexual assaults.435
By mandating written, documented reports, athletic organizations would be expected to
obtain details of each complaint such as dates, who the allegation is against, and who took the
428
429
JOAN MCPHEE & JAMES P. DOWDEN, REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION: THE CONSTELLATION OF
FACTORS UNDERLYING LARRY NASSAR’S ABUSE OF ATHLETES, 142, 145, 147, 186-188, 191, 192 (Ropes & Gray,
2018), https://www.nassarinvestigation.com/en
430
McPhee & Dowden, supra note 429, at 192.
431
Id.
432
Id.
433
Anna Liz Nichols, U.S. Department of Education: MSU repeatedly violated the Clery Act, THE STATE NEWS
(Jan. 30, 2019), https://statenews.com/article/2019/01/u-s-department-of-education-finds-msu-in-violation-of-the-
clery-act
434
Nichols, supra note 433.
435
Id.

report. The institution should provide each mandatory reporter with forms they can use to make
their report. It should not be a random piece of paper. This document should have standard
information such as date, time, location, a copy of who was reported to, and who received the
report.436 Written documents of complaints would protect the person writing the report as well
as their supervisor who receives it.437 Complainants should be granted the option to remain
anonymous. That way, the complainant would be able to further investigate if they choose to
pursue an investigation.438 However, it should be noted that it is difficult to pursue
investigations where the complainant is anonymous. In order to pursue investigation, at some
point the identity would have to be disclosed to the accused or else it would be challenging to
pursue the complaint. Specifically, if investigation were to proceed, and in particular if it is
substantiated, the accused would have the opportunity to defend them self. At that point, the
accused and their lawyer would ask for the name of the individual making the complaint.
Documentation would help track mandatory reporters’ steps of action after receiving an
allegation, avoiding an opportunity for he said-she said. “These things need to be brought into
the light because if they’re not, then who’s going to double-check on them? To cut down on
repeat offenders, you need to know.”439
F. Athletic organizations should maintain an internal centralized database for all reports
of sexual violence
Every complaint (including anonymous reports440) of sexual violence that is reported to
an athletic organization should be posted in an internal database. An internal database would
allow each organization to properly track how each complaint was received, the investigation (if
pursued), and the conclusion. Additionally, it would help organizations better identify specific
patterns of sexual violence and provide proper services. For example, if an individual is accused
of sexual violence numerous times but does not break any violations from a policy or legal
perspective, this database would allow the organization to identify this behavior and take proper
action. Without a database of each report, it would be difficult for organizations to track
complaints, recognize patterns of behavior, and ultimately prevent sexual violence, which was
evident at USAG and MSU as they failed to keep track of criminal statistics.441 It is important to
note that it may not be possible to keep such databases confidential within specific organizations.
Specifically, public institutions, which are subject to Freedom of Information Act requests, may
have to disclose redacted versions of their data.
G. The NCAA and the USOC should maintain a centralized database of completed
investigations of individuals who have been found to have engaged in sexual violence
USAG, MSU, and the USOC all failed to properly communicate with one another about
complaints raised against Nassar. This lack of communication allowed Nassar to continue
assaulting hundreds, as Maggie Nichols described:
436
437
Id.
438
Interview with Sara Trower, supra note 375.
439
440
Anonymous Report- A complaint of abuse in which the complainant chooses to not disclose their identity or the
identity of the offender.
441
McPhee & Dowden, supra note 429, at 192; Wallace & Levenson, supra note 285.

“I later found out that Michigan State University had ignored complaints against
Larry Nassar from other girls going back 20 years and had investigated him for
sexual assault in 2014…They never told USA Gymnastics. If they had, I might
never have met Larry Nassar and I would never have been abused by him.”442
The NCAA and the USOC should maintain a centralized database focused on listing
individuals who have been found to been engaged in some form of sexual assault. This would
protect athletes from recurring offenders attempting to work in other athletic organizations,
especially if attempting to switch sports entirely. When hiring, an athletic organization could
check the database to see if a candidate has any previous investigations. This would provide
athletic organizations to communicate simply without direct contact. Daniels has recommended
a similar policy in her report to USAG entitled:443
1. Create Database of Persons Dismissed from Member Gyms
H. Require mandatory reporters to take action after they receive complaints from second-
hand notifiers, anonymous victims, and unsigned complaints
USAG did not pursue complaints of sexual violence if they came from second-hand
notifiers, unsigned complaints, or anonymous victims:444
1. Second-Hand Notifiers445- USAG only pursued allegations that came from the victim or
the parent of the victim.446
2. Unsigned Complaints- If USAG received an unsigned complaint, they would not
pursue an investigation until the victim signed the complaint.447 Throughout multiple
examples, USAG refused to pursue allegations of sexual violence because the
complaints employees received were unsigned, regardless of the details of the
complaint. The organization would not begin an investigation or take action until the
complaint was signed by the victim.448
3. Anonymous Complaints- If a complaint was made anonymously, previous USAG
bylaws restricted employees from taking action.449 Anonymous complaints were
particularly troublesome with USAG because, if the gymnast remained anonymous,
USAG would not investigate the complaint of abuse. For example, USAG received a
complaint from a former gymnast describing her coach’s sexual abuse.450 USAG
notified the coach that they had received allegations, but because the gymnast remained
anonymous, the organization would not pursue an investigation. Gymnasts often
submitted anonymous complaints because of the fear of possible retaliation (loss of
442
443
444
McPhee & Dowden, supra note 429, at 186-88.
445
Second-Hand Notifier- An individual who informs their supervisor of assault but did not hear about the assault
from the victim or the parent of the victim. Id. at 186.
446
Id. at 186.
447
Id. at 187.
448
Id. at 188.
449
Id. at 189-89.
450
Id. at 188.

competition, harsh treatment, or removal from the team/organization).451 This fear of

retaliation is intense, as it even intimidates the parents of the athlete. For instance, after
Maggie Nichols made her formal complaint regarding Nassar’s sexual assaults, her
parents (as medical professionals) did not contact authorities because they feared that
this would jeopardize Nichols’ lifelong athletic goals of making the 2016 Olympic
team.452
Complaints received from second-hand notifiers, unsigned complaints, and anonymous
complaints should be taken as serious as a complaint from a potential victim because of the
nature of this transaction. Potential victims may not be willing to come forward on their own,
and they may have found somebody else who they feel comfortable with to disclose this
information. If a mandatory reporter receives this information, they should pursue it like any
other complaint made about sexual violence.
I. Following a complaint or report, the victim should be notified of the organization’s
actions
During my research I interviewed an athlete who had been assaulted by Nassar. She
advised me that while training for USAG, a mandatory reporter overheard a conversation she
was having about her assault. The mandatory reporter then properly reported this conversation
up the chain of authority. However, this athlete was never told what the organization did in
response to this report. “A coach overheard us and immediately told those in authority, but
nothing was done. I learned later that someone was supposed to come see me and ask me
questions about it, but no one ever did.”453
Therefore, I recommend that, when requested, a complainant should be notified and kept
informed of the organization’s next steps following a complaint. Specifically, if an investigation
is pursued, the complainant should be so informed, unless the complaint was file anonymously
and the complainant wants to remain anonymous. If this recommendation is adopted, the
individual who made the complaint or report would understand that the organization received
their complaint or report and is taking proper action. Further, this provides is an option: A
complainant who wants to preserve their anonymity can do so, yet a complainant who wants to
know what action the organization has taken in response to the complaint, can be kept apprised
of such action. Thus, the organization should have a system in place to notify the complainant of
the progress and results of an investigation if that is what the complainant requests.
J. Following a complaint or report, the accused should not select, be associated with, or
connected to the individuals conducting the investigation
After Amanda Thomashow filed the first formal Title IX complaint against Nassar in
2014, Nassar and his supervisor, William Strampel, handpicked the four individuals who
conducted the internal investigation.454 These individuals were all employed by MSU and had
personal connections to Nassar. Following the conclusion of the investigation, Thomashow and
Nassar received different copies of the report with the investigative findings. Nassar’s copy was
451
Id. at 188-89.
452
453
454
Caroline Kitchener, The Nassar Investigation That Never Made Headlines, THE ATLANTIC (Jan. 29, 2018),
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/01/the-nassar-investigation-that-never-made-headlines/551717/

one page longer and described that he should look into altering his intravaginal procedures
because it was opening up the institution to possible liabilities. However, the report also
concluded that there was no evidence of sexual misconduct and Nassar’s procedures were
“medically appropriate”.455 Following this investigation, he was allowed to continue to treat
students and student-athletes at MSU for the next two years, subjecting these individuals to
Nassar’s sexual assault disguised as medical treatment.456 One can assume that personal biases
were a factor in this investigation. The findings and conclusion of the investigation protected
Nassar’s employment and reputation within the institution and MSU’s reputation. To protect
athletes from offenders, the accused cannot have any current personal affiliation with the
investigators of the allegation.
K. Throughout an investigation, the accused should be placed on administrative leave with
pay or reassigned to activities that do not include the type of activity which gave rise of
the complaint, until the investigation is completed
The fact that an allegation has been made does not prove anything, and it certainly does
not prove that the accused has committed a violation. However, during Nassar’s tenure at USAG
and MSU, complaints about his sexual assaults were made, but he was allowed maintain his role
as a medical physician, and thereby continue to treat athletes. For example, when Maggie
Nichols made a formal complaint against Nassar at USAG, Nassar was allowed to continue to
work with gymnasts.457 This was allowed for five more weeks, until USAG contacted the FBI
and fired Nassar (even though he released a statement that said he was retiring).458 Similarly, at
MSU, during the investigation of Amanda Thomashow’s Title IX complaint, Strampel allowed
Nassar to treat students and student-athletes before the investigation was concluded.459 By
granting Nassar permission to perform medical treatments during investigations, numerous
individuals were subjected to Nassar’s assaults. To protect athletes, the accused should be
placed on administrative leave, suspended, or reassigned to activities that do not include the type
of activity which gave rise of the complaint until the investigation is complete.
In the past, USAG has struggled to follow up on sexual assault complaints as well as
mandate a proper investigation.460 For example, in 2011, a complaint was made that requested
USAG investigate a coach after being terminated from a club gym for his “involvement with a
minor gymnast.”461 It took four years for USAG to take action, get the review audited, then
report it to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. USAG did not suspend the
coach until 2018, seven years following that initial complaint.462 In a similar example, a USAG
coach was accused of having a romantic relationship with a 13-year-old gymnast and kissing a
14-year-old cheerleader in 2002.463 USAG did not appear to take action until 2006 when the
coach had been rehired at his original gym, which prompted another complaint to USAG. After
455
Kitchener, supra note 454.
456
Id.
457
458
Id.
459
Alia Wong, The Problems at Michigan State Went Far Beyond Larry Nassar, THE ATLANTIC (Mar. 27, 2018),
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/03/strampel-nassar-sexual-harassment/556631/
460
461
Id.
462
Id.
463
Id.

waiting nine months for the coach’s response to the complaint, USAG placed him on probation
for one year.464 This action went without evaluating the 2002 investigators report. Additional
action did not come until 2017 when USAG and the coach reached an agreement that stated the
coach could not renew his USAG membership but would never be named on a public list.465
When USAG, MSU, and the USOC ignored complaints or did not pursue investigations,
assaults continued. To keep athletes safe, the accused should be placed on administrative leave
with pay or reassigned to activities that do not include the type of activity which gave rise of the
complaint, until the investigation is completed.
L. Team physicians should be considered mandatory reporters
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule, established to
protect patient health information, allows patients to waive client confidentiality to permit
healthcare providers to exchange specified information. To protect the patient or others, this act
allows these disclosures.466
Currently in NCAA member-institutions, team physicians are either employed by the
Campus Health Center/university medical school or an external medical practice (such as a
hospital). Therefore, team physicians are under the guidelines of their employer. Within
institutions such as ASU, team physicians are employed by Campus Health Centers (known as
ASU’s Health Services). With this structure, ASU team physicians are not mandatory reporters
because they are considered confidential support within ASU Health Services.467 Therefore, if a
student-athlete makes a complaint to a team physician regarding sexual violence, that team
physician does not have to report the complaint. This current policy should be altered.
In the NCAA Division 1 Manual, NCAA Bylaw 17.1.5 titled Mandatory Medical
Examination, states:
“Prior to participation in any practice, competition, or out-of-season conditioning
activities (or in Division I, permissible voluntary summer conditioning or
individual workouts, or permissible required summer athletic activities in
basketball and football), student-athletes who are beginning their initial season of
eligibility and students who are trying out for a team shall be required to undergo a
medical examination or evaluation administered or supervised by a physician (e.g.,
family physician, team physician)….In following years, an updated history of the
student-athlete’s medical condition shall be administered by an institutional
medical staff member (e.g., sports medicine staff, team physician) to determine in
additional examinations (e.g., physical, cardiovascular, neurological) are
required.”468
464
Id.
465
Id.
466
45 C.F.R. § 164.502(b) (2013); 45 C.F.R. § 164.512(j)(4) (2016).
467
Arizona State University, supra note 376.
468
NCAA ACADEMIC AND MEMBERSHIP AFFAIRS STAFF, NCAA DIVISION I MANUAL, 216 (NCAA, 2019).

Under this bylaw in the NCAA Division I Manual, all student-athletes must be medically
cleared by a physician before they are allowed to train or participate in athletic activity.469 If a
team physician administers the medical examination or evaluation, that team physician
understands a student-athlete’s medical history prior to the start of his/her collegiate career,
immediately creating a special relationship. Further, per this bylaw, updated medical exams are
required to be updated every year by an institutional staff member (such as an individual within
the sports medicine staff or a team physician).470 Through honest conversations regarding
health, a close-knit relationship is often developed and maintained throughout the student-
athlete’s career. One can assume that team physicians are the people whom an athlete is most
likely to confide in regarding sexual assault because of this strong relationship that has been built
on the health and wellness of the student-athlete.
One can assume that athletes training for private organizations trust their team physicians
to an extent similar to how student-athletes trust their collegiate team physicians. An
organization may have a great team physician that athletes feel comfortable with. Athletes might
only tell their team physician about sexual assault they have experienced.471 Team physicians
should become mandatory reporters because they usually understand the health of the athlete
better than anyone else. Additionally, by gaining the responsibility of being mandatory
reporters, they are keeping other individuals safe from repeat offenders.
In college athletics, some medical information must be shared with coaches, athletic
trainers, and those on a need to know basis in order to protect the student-athlete as it pertains to
athletic training and participation. At ASU, student-athletes sign a consent form and fill-in blank
spaces to specify who is allowed to receive their medical information.472 By signing different
sections on this form, student-athletes have the option to allow or deny others the right to receive
their medical information.
In the NCAA Division 1 Manual, NCAA Bylaw 12.7.4.1 titled Consent and Purpose
under 12.7.4 Student-Athlete Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)
Authorization/Buckley Amendment Consent Form- Disclosure of Protected Health Information
under Consent and Purpose which impacts how student-athletes health information is shared
with others:
“Each academic year, a student-athlete may voluntarily sign a statement in a form
maintained by the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of
Sports and approved by the Legislative Committee in which the student-athlete
authorizes/consents to the institution’s physicians, athletic directors and health care
personnel to disclose the student-athlete’s injury/illness and participation
information associated with the student-athlete’s training and participation in
intercollegiate athletics to the NCAA and to its Injury Surveillance Program (ISP),
agents and employees for the purpose of conducting research into the reduction of
athletics injuries.”473
469
NCAA, supra note, 468.
470
Id.
471
472
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SERVICES SPORTS MEDICINE, CONSENT FORMS (Arizona State University,
2019).
473
NCAA ACADEMIC AND MEMBERSHIP AFFAIRS STAFF, NCAA DIVISION I MANUAL, 52 (NCAA, 2019).

With a signature, this bylaw permits student-athletes health information to be shared with
the NCAA and its Injury Surveillance Program in order to conduct research to decrease athletic
injuries. If all of this information directly related to the health and well-being of student-athletes
is allowed to be shared with numerous individuals, why would reporting sexual assault be
withheld by team physicians?
Finally, most of the athletes I interviewed were under the impression that all team
physicians were already mandatory reporters, especially when receiving complaints of sexual
assault. They recommend that team physicians everywhere hold that responsibility.
“They [Team Doctors] have such intimate conversations and activities involving
young people that are vulnerable. I don’t understand why they should be exempted
from reporting the information. If you have people who are reluctant to report, and
also, they’re reluctant to get the care that they need, I think that’s a problem because
then that preparator is out there and they’ve been told this is happening, so there is
not investigatory activity as a result of not moving it.”474
M. At their request, the athlete should have the right to have an additional individual of
their choice in the room while they are receiving medical treatment
In taking corrective action, new rules must be implemented regarding the supervision of
medical treatment for athletes. At their request, the individual athlete should have the right to
have an additional individual of their choice in the room while they are receiving medical
treatment. This recommendation should create a safer environment of protection for the athlete
and the individual conducting the medical treatment.
This recommendation would hopefully combat some of the incidents that were evident
throughout the Nassar case. Within club gyms in Lansing, Michigan, Nassar often conducted
treatments in his own training room completely alone with an athlete.475 Victims have since
come forward describing that Nassar assaulted them in that room.476 Similarly, at The Ranch,
Nassar was allowed to treat gymnasts alone, even in the gymnasts’ dorm rooms or his personal
hotel room. Once again, victims have since stated that Nassar sexually assaulted them in these
environments.477 This isolation provided less protection for the athletes and more opportunities
for Nassar to sexually assault them. By providing the athlete with this option, organizations
would help protect the athlete and the medical physician conducting treatment by providing a
more transparent environment.
N. Require athlete representation within the governance structure of athletic organization
Athletic organizations should mandate that athlete representatives are part of their
governance structure in order to facilitate deeper understanding of the athletes’ concerns.
There are also already some mechanisms of this nature:
474
475
476
Id.
477
Id.

1. Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)- Within the NCAA, SAAC provides

student-athletes with a voice in order to provide insight on the student-athlete
experience. Through SAAC, student-athletes communicate with sport administrators
by providing input on policies and regulations that impact them.
2. Pac-12 Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT)- SALT is comprised of Pac-12
student-athletes whose intent is to incorporate the student-athlete perspective into the
conference’s official voting governance structure.478 SALT discusses issues and
legislation pertaining to the student-athlete welfare at a conference and NCAA level,
reviews Conference policies and initiatives, and has one vote in the Council voting
process. SALT members meet twice a year alongside the other members of their
institution, including the Athletic Director, Faculty Athletics Representative, and
Senior Woman Administrator.479 The Pac-12 is the first and only conference (of the
major conferences) to integrate student-athletes into its’ governance structure.480
Throughout Nassar’s tenure at USAG, gymnasts felt as if they did not have a voice within
the organization. “[Nassar], picked the perfect system to be a predator in,” according to Robert
Andrews, MA, LMFT, and Sports Performance Coach.481 The culture encouraged gymnasts to
remain quiet under all circumstances. “When gymnasts reach a certain stage in their sports
career, these impressionable athletes and their parents put their total trust in the coaches, trainers,
and doctors like Nassar, who are supposed to support them and teach them to become stars.”482
Gymnasts are trained to act like soldiers and report to coaches and trainers in order to achieve
success within the sport. Unfortunately, this culture contributed to Nassar’s ability to sexually
assault hundreds because gymnasts had no incentive and little opportunity to raise concerns on
topics such as sexual violence.
The USOC indirectly contributed to this culture of vulnerability through its’ governance
structure. Passed in 1978, the Ted Stevens Act requires key governance provisions within the
USOC, such as the Athletes Advisory Council, which purpose is to “ensure communication”
between USOC athletes and administrators.483 Through this council, “…Athletes hold at least
20% of the voting seats on both the USOC and the NGB boards.”484 However, the intent of this
act is broad, as it requires fourteen purposes that range from establishing national goals to
improving sports medicine.485 Historically, the act improved the governance structure because
athletes obtained a “huge voice” and “significant presence” within the governance of the
organization.486 Unfortunately, this structure shifted and the USOC began working like a
modern, professional non-profit during Nassar’s tenure.487 “The USOC placed heightened
478
Pac-12 Conference, Pac-12 becomes first major conference to incorporate student-athletes into voting
governance structure, PAC-12 (Oct. 20, 2015), https://pac-12.com/article/2015/10/19/pac-12-becomes-first-major-
conference-incorporate-student-athletes-voting
479
Pac-12 Conference, supra note 478.
480
Id.
481
Cory Stieg, Inside The Twisted World of USA Gymnastics, REFINERY 29 (Jan. 31, 2018, 1:00 PM),
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/01/188295/gymnastics-abuse-toxic-culture-sports-psychology
482
Stieg, supra note 481.
483
484
Id.
485
Id.
486
Id. at 145.
487
Id.

emphasis on earning medals and generating revenue.”488 These goals were necessarily
connected as athletic success attracts sponsors, who in turn provide the private funding necessary
to support the athletes of Team USA. Alongside these developments, however, “…The USOC
did not incorporate effective policies and structures to provide athletes with either a strong role
in governance or an effective avenue for raising complaint.”489
The combination of the fear instilled within USAG and the USOC’s governance structure
demonstrated how little these organization valued their athletes’ voice. With lack of
representation, athletes had limited ability to raise concerns about important topics like sexual
misconduct.490 In order to attain a complete culture shift that values the athlete entirely, athletic
organizations should provide athlete representation within their governance structure. There
should be basic requirements for the athlete representatives; for example, they should be current
athletes of the organization, be voted into the position by other athletes, and hold a role specific
to athlete concerns.491 Specifically, the athlete representative should be involved in decisions
that pertain to the athlete well-being, not major decisions such as the opportunity to compete or
the selection of a team. Through this structure, athletes have opportunities to raise concerns,
provide input on their experience, and evaluate rules and regulations. In return, the organization
has an improved understanding on the athletes’ experience because of this communication. It is
imperative for the athletes to understand that they are valued within the athletic organization and
can raise important issues that could improve their overall experience. Daniels has
recommended a similar policy in her report to USAG entitled:492
1. Formularize the Role of the Athlete Representative and Ensure This Individual
Does Not Continue to Sit on the Selection Committee
IX. CONCLUSION
It is unacceptable that those who were responsible for keeping minors safe allowed and
enabled Nassar to sexually assault hundreds of young girls. If organizations do not have proper
policies, they must institute corrective policies to be better prepared to act upon claims of sexual
assault. With clear policies to specifically address sexual assault complaints, there must also be
training of employees to know what action they must take if a complaint is made. An
enhancement of corrective policies for athletic organizations are essential, as the safety of future
generations depend on them. Athletic organizations should adopt the corrective policies
recommended in this paper in order to generate a culture shift focused on the athletes’ safety and
well-being, thereby taking precedent over winning, medals, and wealth.
488
Id.
489
Id.
490
Id. at 147.
491
492

“I believe that changing policy needs to go hand in hand with changing the culture
and atmosphere. Athletes cannot be afraid of being overlooked or pushed to the
side if they speak up about an injury or something making them uncomfortable.”493
My hope is that athletic organizations everywhere adopt the noted recommended corrective
policies to protect athletes from sexual violence.
493

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DePaul Journal of Sports Law

The Larry Nassar Nightmare: Athletic Organizational Failures to

Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/jslcp

Part of the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Commons

II. BACKGROUND OF LARRY NASSAR

III. USA GYMNASTICS (USAG)

C. The Karolyi Ranch

“The previous culture of USAG consisted of fear and intimidation. Unnecessary

F. Larry Nassar’s Role at Geddert’s Twistars Gymnastics Club

H. Bankruptcy, Investigations, Settlements, and New Policies

IV. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU)

V. THE UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (USOC)

D. New Policies at the USOC

VI. OTHER SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES WITHIN MEMBER INSTITUTIONS OF THE

VII. CORRECTIVE POLICIES

VIII. RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE POLICIES

awareness education, and emotional and physical misconduct.399 Outside

“Further, the athletics department will cooperate with college or university

student-athletes and athletics department staff in a manner complaint with

8. Consider Creating a Safe Sport Certification for Clubs

competition, harsh treatment, or removal from the team/organization).451 This fear of

1. Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)- Within the NCAA, SAAC provides

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