Former Olympic Gymnasts Name MSU Doctor in Sex Abuse Complaints

An Olympic gymnast who filed a complaint with Michigan police two weeks ago is one of two former gymnasts, one a medalist, who have accused longtime team physician Dr. Larry G. Nassar of sexual abuse, according to media reports. Another gymnast made allegations in a civil lawsuit, filed Thursday and released Monday, in California.

The former gymnast who filed the lawsuit hasn’t been named, but Rachael Denhollander, who filed a criminal complaint against Nassar last month with police at Michigan State University, where Nassar is employed, allowed her name to be used.

Nassar, an associate professor and team physician at Michigan State University who has treated gymnasts at the school, hasn’t been charged with a crime, but he left his position as the team coach last year. He had served as the team physician for the USA Gymnastics team physician in four Olympic Games.

Michigan State University said in an emailed statement to Patch that Nassar has been “temporarily reassigned from clinical and patient duties as of Aug. 30 as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct.”

“This action is in response to a complaint made to authorities Aug. 29,” the statement continued. “As this is an ongoing investigation, it is not appropriate to comment further at this time.”

News of the investigation, first reported by the Indianapolis Star, broke on the eve of the 2016 Rio Olympics. According to that report, USA Gymnastics officials brushed off at least 14 reports of sexual abuse by team officials, some involving gymnasts as young as 7.

In the latest complaints, the two women gave similar accounts of the alleged abuse by Nassar in separate interviews with the IndyStar. Both alleged that Nassar fondled their breasts and genitals during multiple treatments in the 1990s and early 2000s. One of the women said Nassar talked about oral sex and made other lewd comments while they were alone together, an allegation also made in court records.

Denhollander alleged that Nassar began sexually assaulting her when she visited him for treatment of lower back pain at age 15 and that he became more abusive over five treatments, penetrating her anus and vagina with his fingers and thumb and unhooking her bra and massaging her breasts.

“I was terrified,” she told the IndyStar. “I was ashamed. I was very embarrassed. And I was very confused, trying to reconcile what was happening with the person he was supposed to be. He’s this famous doctor. He’s trusted by my friends. He’s trusted by these other gymnasts. How could he reach this position in the medical profession, how could he reach this kind of prominence and stature if this is who he is?”

She blamed herself, which she said she now knows “is a very common response that victims have.”

“It’s much easier in some ways to hide from what’s happening and just go somewhere else mentally. It was easier to not have to verbalize and recognize what was happening.”

In the California lawsuit, the former gymnast alleged that Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics disregarded suspicions about Nassar’s conduct, but the IndyStar said her attorney, John Manly, declined to give specific details to back up the allegations, because “frankly, it would give the defense an unfair advantage.”

Nassar’s attorney, Matthew Borgula, told the IndyStar that his client “adamantly denies any misconduct at this or any other time.” He said that his examinations of gymnasts have never included digital penetration.

In a statement, officials said USA Gymnastics is no longer associated with Nassar:

“Immediately after learning of athlete concerns about Dr. Nassar in the summer of 2015, Steve Penny, president and CEO of USA Gymnastics, notified law enforcement. We also relieved Dr. Nassar of his duties, and he ceased to be affiliated with USA Gymnastics. USA Gymnastics has cooperated fully with the law enforcement agency since we first notified them of the matter, including — at their request — refraining from making further statements or taking any other action that might interfere with the agency’s investigation. We are grateful to the athletes for coming forward to share their concerns when they did.”

» For much more on this, go to IndyStar.com.

Photo via Michigan State University