Gymnast’s mother says Izzo either ‘moron’ or ‘liar’
The mother of Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman ripped into Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo on Twitter for his comments about the sexual abuse of gymnasts by Larry Nassar, who was employed by the university.
Answering reporters’ questions about the case on Friday, Izzo said it had been a “difficult week for me” and he hoped “the right person was convicted.”
Nassar, a former Olympic team doctor, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault in a high-profile sexual molestation case where more than 100 women, including Raisman, have said he sexually abused them.
Lynn Raisman wrote Saturday on her social media account, “Dear Tom Izzo, I’m sorry it’s been a difficult week for you. Did you hear, Larry Nassar also said it was difficult. Since you ‘hope the right person was convicted’ I wonder if you are a complete and total MORON or just a LIAR when you claim you listened to the impact statements.”
Aly Raisman is one of several Olympic gold-medal gymnasts, including Gabby Douglas, Mckayla Maroney and Simone Biles, that accused Nassar of abuse. Raisman delivered a powerful statement to Nassar in court on Friday as one of dozens of women providing victim impact statements.
Izzo also lent his support to Michigan State president Lou Anna Simon, who has come under pressure to resign.
A Detroit News investigation found at least 14 university officials were notified of the allegations against Nassar in the two decades preceding his arrest without action taken.
According to the report, Simon was among those notified.
Here are Izzo answers to questions about the case following Friday’s game against Indiana:
“It’s been a very difficult week for me. As a father, it’s been a difficult week. I listened to the stories of courageous women. I look at the survivors who spoke and, in all honesty, Nassar permanently damaged and changed the lives of so many of those people. I feel like it’s changed the life of all of us at Michigan State in some way, shape or form. As a father, that’s difficult to even fathom. I hope the right person was convicted.
“I have to say, though, that I have the utmost — the utmost — faith and respect for the leadership of our president, too, at Michigan State. That’s a woman who has dedicated over 40 years — and I’ve been here 33 with her, and I think I know what she stands for. So I hope and pray that those survivors continue to grow in their life. I hope we do everything we can to make sure that this will never happen ever again — not only at this institution, but any institution to be honest with you.”