By: The Associated Press & Scripps National
WASHINGTON — Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles has told Congress that “enough is enough” in emotional testimony along with other young gymnasts about her sexual abuse at the hands of USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.
Biles used congressional testimony Wednesday to blame not only the gymnastics organization but also federal law enforcement that “turned a blind eye” to the crimes as hundreds of young athletes were abused.
“I blame Larry Nassar, and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse,” Biles told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Biles was joined by fellow gold medal winners McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and USA Gymnastics teammate Maggie Nicols, all of whom testified about their disgust in how the current system enabled Nassar to continue his abuse despite filing reports against him.
“We just can’t fix a problem we don’t understand, and we can’t understand the problem unless and until we have all of the facts,” Raisman said.
Maroney claimed the FBI “minimized and disregarded” after she reported abuse by Nassar.
“If they’re not going to protect me, I want to know who are they trying to protect,” she said.
According to The Associated Press, the hearing is part of a congressional effort to hold the FBI accountable after multiple missteps in investigating the case – including the delays that allowed Nassar to abuse additional young gymnasts.
An internal investigation by the Justice Department released in July said that the FBI made fundamental errors in the probe and did not treat the case with the “utmost seriousness” after USA Gymnastics first reported the allegations to the FBI’s field office in Indianapolis in 2015.
Reposted with permission from WCPO 9 Cincinnati.