How USA Gymnastics protected coaches over kids
Source: Indianapolis Star
The prominent Olympic organization failed to alert authorities to many allegations of sexual abuse by coaches.
Marisa Kwiatkowski, Mark Alesia and Tim Evans
Top executives at one of America’s most prominent Olympic organizations failed to alert authorities to many allegations of sexual abuse by coaches — relying on a policy that enabled predators to abuse gymnasts long after USA Gymnastics had received warnings.
An IndyStar investigation uncovered multiple examples of children suffering the consequences, including a Georgia case in which a coach preyed on young female athletes for seven years after USA Gymnastics dismissed the first of four warnings about him.
In a 2013 [linl:https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2999202-Doe-v-USAG-Amended-Complaint-4-21-16.html|lawsuit] filed by one of that coach’s victims, two former USA Gymnastics officials admitted under oath that the organization routinely dismissed sexual abuse allegations as hearsay unless they came directly from a victim or victim’s parent. ... Legal experts and child advocates expressed alarm about that approach, saying the best practice is to report every allegation to authorities. Laws in every state require people to report suspected child abuse.
“USAG failed at this,” said Lisa Ganser, whose daughter filed the Georgia lawsuit, which is still being argued. “USA Gymnastics had enough information, I think, to have done something about this. It didn't have to happen to my daughter, and it didn't have to happen to other little girls.”
....
Call IndyStar reporter Marisa Kwiatkowski at (317) 444-6135. Follow her on Twitter: @IndyMarisaK.
Call IndyStar reporter Mark Alesia at (317) 444-6311. Follow him on Twitter: @markalesia.
Call IndyStar reporter Tim Evans at (317) 444-6204. Follow him on Twitter: @starwatchtim.
IndyStar will continue to investigate this topic. If you have information you would like to share, please email investigations@indystar.com or call (317) 444-6262.
Read more: http://www.indystar.com/story/news/investigations/2016/08/04/usa-gymnastics-sex-abuse-protected-coaches/85829732/
IndyStar 4:31 a.m. EDT August 4, 2016
This series grew out of IndyStar’s examination of recent failures by school and day care officials to report suspected child abuse to authorities.
In this investigation, IndyStar filed public records requests in 10 states and reviewed thousands of pages of documents, including court records, police reports, Internal Revenue Service records, state records, USA Gymnastics policies and 20 years of its publications. IndyStar also examined news reports, court filings and sex offender registry records on more than 100 gymnastics coaches across the country.
Reporters interviewed people throughout the U.S. — from Maine to Florida to California and many states in between. Reporters and photographers also traveled to Georgia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Tennessee to conduct interviews and gather documents. IndyStar spoke with abuse victims and their families, prosecutors, police detectives, attorneys, USA Gymnastics officials, current and former gym owners, coaches, child advocates and legal experts.
IndyStar fought public records denials in Oregon and filed a motion to intervene in a Georgia lawsuit to seek access to sexual misconduct complaint files USA Gymnastics kept on 54 coaches.
Coming next
•Failing to report: Gym owners, too, have a responsibility to protect children.
•The power dynamic: How predatory coaches groom young athletes for abuse.
•Scars of abuse: Heart-wrenching stories of survivors.
•Pushing for change: How laws might better protect children.
Share your experiences
IndyStar will continue to investigate this topic. If you have information you would like to share, please email investigations@indystar.com or call (317) 444-6262.
IndyStar 8:43 a.m. EDT August 4, 2016
USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny said he feels significant facts were omitted.
USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny released a statement to CBS This Morning in response to IndyStar's investigation into the national governing body's failures to report many allegations of sexual abuse involving coaches.
Here is his statement in its entirety:
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