Senate passes bill to dissolve USOPC

WASHINGTON — A bill that would give Congress the power to dissolve the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s board of directors and would more than double the federation’s funding for the U.S. Center for SafeSport passed the Senate unanimously Tuesday.

The bill was written in response to multiple investigations about the failings of the USOPC and its affiliated sports organizations in the wake of the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal. While working as a team doctor for USA Gymnastics and the Michigan State athletic program, Nassar abused more than 300 athletes, according to a congressional report.

The bill’s main sponsors, Sens. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called the passage a “critical step towards providing effective safeguards and protections” for athletes.

“While powerful institutions failed these survivors in the past, we aren’t going to,” the senators said.

MICHIGAN STATE: A former university head gymnastics coach was sentenced Tuesday to 90 days in jail for lying to police during an investigation into former Olympic and university doctor Larry Nassar.

Kathie Klages, 65, was found guilty in February of a felony and a misdemeanor for denying she knew of Nassar’s abuse prior to 2016 when survivors started to come forward publicly. She also was sentenced to 18 months of probation.

Klages testified at trial, and in a tearful statement Tuesday, that she did not remember being told about the abuse. She said she had been seeing a therapist to try to remember the conversations, and she apologized to victims if they occurred.