Strength in Numbers for the USA Gymnasts During Emotional New Trial

Trigger Warning: Sexual Abuse

In a devastating testimony, Simone Biles and her other USA teammates stood before the Senate Judiciary Committee and asked for justice.

On September 15, Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols, and Aly Raisman joined together to tell their story of abuse from former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. They shone in a different light as they broke down in tears explaining how the system failed them all. 

Biles shared that the abuse continued because of the organizations created by Congress to protect her as a USA Olympic medalist, not a young girl. The gold medalist added that the USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee failed their jobs and failed all the girls who were abused. 

Simone Biles cried as she told a Senate panel on Wednesday how she wanted to protect other young people from suffering at the hands of a pedophile. She and hundreds of girls and women were molested by Larry Nassar, the former U.S. gymnastics team doctor. https://t.co/rSMis25UL9 pic.twitter.com/NYhdQXctQ9

— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 15, 2021

Not only did they fail to protect the girls, but the FBI also “turned a blind eye.” Biles added, “We suffered and continue to suffer because no one at FBI, USAG, or the USOPC did what was necessary to protect us. We have been failed, and we deserve answers.” 

The 24-year-old noted that Larry Nassar is prosecuted, as he should. However, the people who enabled Nassar need to be held accountable. 

In addition, McKayla Maroney shared her experience of being questioned by the FBI after reporting her abuse. She explained painful events with Nassar in detail, hoping that the uncomfortable moment would help end the abuse for all other young girls. 

Maroney explained her first encounter with Nassar at 13-years old, where he sexually abused her during “treatment.” After disclosing the information to the FBI, they asked if the treatment ever helped her, and she responded, “this treatment was 100 percent abuse and never gave me any relief.”

Maroney also described an evening where Nassar gave her a sleeping pill for a plane ride to Tokyo and proceeded to molest her for hours that same night. Yet again, her statement is disregarded by the FBI.

She explains, “To have my abuse be minimized and disregarded by the people who are supposed to protect me, just to feel like my abuse was not enough.” 

“If they’re not going to protect me, I want to know: Who are they trying to protect?” – McKayla Maroney, Simone Biles and other gymnasts give searing testimony about the FBI’s handling of the Nassar investigation https://t.co/xhxzuxMhOk

— Terri Rupar (@terri_rupar) September 15, 2021

Ending her statement, Maroney scrutinized the FBI to dismiss her abuse, falsify her report, and let Larry Nassar roam free for a year before deeming him guilty. She pleaded for the Senate to hear her voice and do everything in their power to give all the survivors justice. 

Maggie Nichols also joined for her testimony stating, “The survivors of Larry Nassar have a right to know why their well-being was placed in jeopardy by these individuals who chose not to do their jobs.”

WATCH: @MagsGotSwag12 complete opening statement.

“I want everyone to know that this didn’t happen to Gymnast #2 or Athlete A, it happened to me, Maggie Nichols.” pic.twitter.com/FoIubHMro0

— CSPAN (@cspan) September 15, 2021

Aly Raisman also testified that morning, emphasizing, “It was like serving innocent children up to a pedophile on a silver platter.”

The committee asked the survivors what outcome they would like to see. Raisman replied that she would like to see the FBI, USAG, and USOCP investigated. 

Biles explained, “We also want to see them at least be federally prosecuted to the fullest extent because they need to be held accountable.” 

The hearing also included testimonies from FBI Director Christopher Wray, the new lead in the investigation, and Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz.

Wray commented that the FBI would consider mandatory training and other recommendations made by Horowitz’s report. He also added that the FBI agents who worked the case had been fired due to their failure to investigate allegations. 

Wray apologized on behalf of the FBI, saying, “That is inexcusable. I’d like to make a promise to the women who appeared here today and to all survivors of abuse…It’s my commitment to you that I and my entire senior leadership team are going to make damn sure everybody at the FBI remembers what happened here in heartbreaking detail.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal told Wray, “If I were in your shoes, I would be walking across the street to the attorney general of the United States, and I would be saying, ‘You need to prosecute.’ Why aren’t you doing that?”

It’s been six years since USA Gymnastics received allegations of sexual misconduct against Larry Nassar. It’s been five years since my colleagues and I published our first article about him. Yet questions remain, and survivors continue to call for accountability. https://t.co/Z3z7sPDNIc

— Marisa Kwiatkowski (@byMarisaK) September 15, 2021

The case is yet to be concluded by the Senate, but it is clear that the committee doesn’t stand for this abuse. Hopefully, the survivors of Larry Nassar’s abuse can find justice at the end of this long and dark road.

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