“It’s disrespectful, it’s disgusting, it’s scary.” Those are just three adjectives Aly Raisman uses to describe what she calls the lack of accountability on the part of USA Gymnastics, the U.S. Olympic Committee and Michigan State University in the Larry Nassar case. “Those three organizations, they did not handle it correctly whatsoever, so it’s very concerning,” she tells Us Weekly‘s Jen Peros in the new issue.
Disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison January 24 for sexually abusing scores of young girls under the guise of treatment. But for gold medalist Raisman, justice was hardly served.
“It’s not enough,” insists the two-time Olympic gymnast, 23. “He’s going to jail for almost a year for each survivor. So when you put it in that perspective… he’s gonna die in jail but any number is never enough.”
Raisman confronted her former doctor from the stand at his trial in Lansing, Michigan, on January 19, joining more than 150 victims who spoke or provided statements in court. During her 13-minute statement, Raisman addressed 54-year-old Nassar directly. “Larry, you do realize now that we, this group of women you so heartlessly abused over such a long period of time, are now a force and you are nothing? The tables have turned, Larry,” Raisman said. “We have our voices, and we are not going anywhere.”
Her teammates — including Jordyn Wieber, Simone Biles and McKayla Maroney — have also accused Nassar of abusing them.
Raisman is certainly not letting the case drop after sentencing — and says she doesn’t feel a weight has been lifted off her shoulders post-trial.
“I’m still so devastated and angry and confused as to how USA Gymnastics, the United States Olympic Committee and Michigan State University, how they protected Larry over us for so long. So, I don’t feel justice from Larry’s sentencing, and I won’t until those people are held accountable and we have an investigation to figure out exactly how this disaster happened,” Raisman told Us at the Aerie Real Role Models campaign event in NYC January 25.
USA Gymnastics’ executive board of directors, made up of four members, resigned on Monday January 29.
“I really want to work with educating children from the time they’re really little about what abuse is and how to look out for a predator,” continues the gold medalist. “I want to teach these young kids that you could also be hurt by someone that you love and trust. It shouldn’t be awkward to talk about.”
If there’s one bright side to the tragedy, it’s the outpouring of support Raisman has received following her day in court. “I have gotten so much support that I never imagined. Even at the Women’s March the next day, there were people holding up signs of quotes from my statement,” she says. “I was looking at it with my mom and I couldn’t believe it. It means so much to me and it only makes me want to do more.”
For more on Raisman’s fight, pick up the new issue of Us Weekly on stands now.
