Aly Raisman claimed she was sexually abused by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. The three-time Olympic gold medalist, 23, said in a new interview with 60 Minutes, airing Sunday, November 12, that she spoke to FBI investigators after serving as the national team captain at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
“I am angry,” Raisman said. “I’m really upset because … I care a lot, you know? When I see these young girls that come up to me and they ask for pictures or autographs, whatever it is, I just … I can’t. Every time I look at them, every time I see them smiling, I just think … I just want to create change so that they never, ever have to go through this.”
Nassar is already facing 22 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and could receive a sentence of life in prison. He is currently in jail after pleading guilty to federal child pornography charges in July.
The former Michigan State doctor, who was fired by USA Gymnastics in 2015, was previously accused of sexual misconduct by Raisman’s fellow Fierce Five member McKayla Maroney and Sydney bronze medalist Jamie Dantzscher. In a statement to 60 Minutes, USA Gymnastics said it was “very sorry that any athlete has been harmed” and that the organization wants “to work with Aly and all interested athletes to keep athletes safe.”
Raisman, who further details the alleged abuse in her book Fierce (out Tuesday, November 14), is also calling for a change. “Why are we looking at why didn’t the girls speak up? Why not look at what about the culture?” she said. “What did USA Gymnastics do, and Larry Nassar do, to manipulate these girls so much that they are so afraid to speak up?”
USA Gymnastics CEO Steve Penny resigned in March amid the sexual abuse scandal. Former Learfield Communications vice president of business development Kerry Perry will take over Penny’s role in December.
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