Karolyis deny knowledge of abuse
Former USA Gymnastics leader says ‘we didn’t turn a blind eye’ to Nassar
Former USA Gymnastics women’s national team coordinator Martha Karolyi, in an interview that aired Sunday night on NBC, said she felt sorrow and anger regarding the crimes of disgraced doctor Larry Nassar but did not know he was abusing gymnasts under the guise of medical care and did not feel responsible for his actions.
Karolyi, interviewed with her husband, Bela, at the family-owned gym between Huntsville and New Waverly that once served as the women’s national training center, denied knowledge of Nassar’s actions and also denied abusing gymnasts by her words or actions during her 15 years as national team coordinator.
“There never, ever was one single complaint (about Nassar). Absolutely not,” Martha Karolyi said.
“I don’t feel responsible, but I feel extremely hurt that these things happened.” — Martha Karolyi
“… Absolutely we didn’t turn a blind eye. …
“I try to think back about all kinds of situations of Nassar working with the kids. I could not find anything. It is with my conscience very clear I can make this statement.”
Karolyi’s comments came during an episode of NBC News’ “Dateline” regarding the Nassar case, which has been described as arguably the worst scandal in the history of Olympic sports in the United States.
“I feel extremely bad,” she said. “I don’t feel responsible, but I feel extremely hurt that these things happened everywhere, but happened here also.”
During the interview with NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie, in their first public comments since the Nassar scandal became public in 2016, the Karolyis also denied allegations that they ignored injuries, screamed obscenities at gymnasts, called them names, intimidated them against asking for water or taking bathroom breaks or physically abused them.
But Martha Karolyi also defended what gymnasts described as the high-pressure atmosphere at the monthly training camps where gymnasts gathered for group sessions prior to national and international competitions, including the Olympic Games.
“When we heard this type of comments, we’re thinking maybe that is how it came across,” she said. “But I’m telling you, I don’t see any other way than we did to prepare gymnasts who are successful.”
Interviewed along with the Karolyis by NBC were 2012 Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney, who said she was abused hundreds of times by Nassar, and Gina Nichols, the mother of University of Oklahoma gymnast Maggie Nichols.
‘How could you not know?’
Nichols, who was the first parent to complain to USA Gymnastics about Nassar, and threetime gold medalist Aly Raisman joined Maroney in criticizing USA Gymnastics and its former president, Steve Penny, for failing to report Nassar to law enforcement in a timely manner.
“There were so many adults around us all the time, and nobody ever asked any questions. Nobody ever said anything, so that is why we always thought that we were the problem,” Raisman said. “You never understand that sexual abuse can happen to you until it does.”
Maroney said the federation cared about “their reputation, money, gold medals, and that was it.”
Of whether the Karolyis knew of Nassar’s actions, Maroney said, “You knew what I ate, you controlled what I wore, you controlled what I said. How could you not know?”
Nassar, who worked as a doctor for the federation for almost 20 years, is serving the equivalent of a life prison term after pleading guilty to federal charges of possession of child pornography and state charges in Michigan of criminal sexual misconduct.
More than 260 women said during a hearing in Lansing, Mich., that Nassar abused them. Other Olympic champions, including Simone Biles and Gabrielle Douglas, have made similar disclosures.
Maroney, who said she first was abused by Nassar at age 13, said she spoke openly during the 2011 gymnastics world championships in Tokyo about Nassar’s practice of inserting an ungloved finger into a woman’s vagina, which he defended as an acceptable treatment for pain relief and treatment of back issues.
So painful were Nasser’s actions during that trip, she said, “I thought I was going to die.”
She said Lansing, Mich., gymnastics coach John Geddert, who has been suspended by USA Gymnastics for issues unrelated to Nassar, heard her comments but said nothing. When nothing came of her complaints, Maroney said she “shut down” efforts to complain.
‘It depends on the person’
Maroney also was critical of what she described as the tense atmosphere at the monthly camps that gymnasts attended with their coaches.
“Me and the girls used to call it torture camp,” she said. “It’s that like silent abuse where it’s like if you say anything we’re not going to put you on the team. It’s very political. It’s very intimidating.”
Martha Karolyi acknowledged the intense nature of the training camps but said they were necessary to determine who could stand the pressure of international competition.
Asked a series of questions by Guthrie regarding allegations that gymnasts were mistreated during training sessions, Karolyi denied each one.
Of gymnasts being afraid to ask for water, she said, “totally absurd.”
Of verbal or emotional abuse, “Verbally, definitely not abusive,” she said. “Emotionally, it depends on the person. You have to be a strong person to even handle the situation.”
Asked about whether she referred to gymnasts as being fat, she said, “Maybe you say a little overweight, but in order to be a good gymnast, you have to have the right ratio between strength and weight. Otherwise, you put yourself at risk.”
Asked if gymnasts were forced to train while injured, she said, “That’s absolutely wrong. I advised personal coaches to don’t force a girl if she is injured because the injury will worsen and we will lose the gymnast.”
The couple said they never struck a gymnast whom they were training in the United States but acknowledged doing so early in their careers in Romania when such actions were accepted practice.
“I never touched anybody, and if anybody comes up with that one, it’s a dirty lie,” Bela Karolyi said.
Bela Karolyi, who retired from coaching after the 2000 Olympics but assembled the training complex used by the women’s national team, said he never liked Nassar, adding, “I had that feeling there’s a snake coming out to bite you.”
He also said, “This miserable man destroyed everything I was working for — my facilities, my dreams … and also my health.”
The Karolyis have been named as defendants in at least one lawsuit among several filed in the wake of the Nassar case against a group of defendants that also includes USA Gymnastics and Penny.
John Manly, an attorney in Irvine, Calif., who filed the first major lawsuit in the Nassar case, said of the Karolyis on Twitter prior to the NBC program: “Don’t believe a word these two utter. They created the toxic environment that allowed Nassar to abuse. They deny any responsibility for his actions or their safety at the ranch. They don’t even know who was in charge of the girls safety. They are vile.”