Nassar survivors offered $215 million settlement
USA Gymnastics has filed a bankruptcy plan that includes an offer of $215 million for sexualabuse survivors to settle their claims against the beleaguered organization.
The $215 million total is the amount the insurance carriers for USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee are willing to provide in hopes of ending years of legal disputes with athletes who were abused by former nationalteam doctor
Larry Nassar. Survivors have been in mediation with USA Gymnastics since the organization filed for bankruptcy in December 2018.
Nassar is serving decades in prison for sexual assault and possession of child pornography in Michigan. Hundreds of athletes have come forward over the past three years saying Nassar abused them under the guise of treatment, including reigning Olympic champion Simone Biles and sixtime Olympic medalist Aly Raisman.
USA Gymnastics President Li Li Leung said Thursday that the organization wants to “work toward a true consensual settlement” with survivors.
John Manly, an attorney representing 200 Nassar survivors, chastised both USA Gymnastics and the USOPC for “blatant disregard” of victims.
“This proposed plan does not include the critical structural changes necessary to ensure the safety of girls moving forward, nor does it appropriately address the myriad physical and emotional challenges the victims face as a result of these crimes,” Manly said. “Most disturbingly, this proposed plan attempts to absolve USOPC of any responsibility for these crimes which were committed under its watch. This plan from USAG is not just unworkable, it is unconscionable.”
ELSEWHERE John Andretti dies
John Andretti, the first driver to attempt the Memorial Day double (the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s CocaCola 600 on the same day) and member of one of motor sports’ royal families, died at 56 after a threeyear bout with colon cancer Thursday in Indianapolis.
John’s father, Aldo, grew up racing and his uncle, Mario, became an international celebrity after winning the 1969 Indianapolis 500 and 1978 Formula One world championship.
Andretti’s cousin, Michael, competed in Formula One and in IndyCar before turning team owner; nephew Marco has five topfive finishes at Indy; and son Jarett made his Indy debut in May in Indy Lights.
John Andretti competed in USAC sprint cars on dirt then won the 1989 Rolex 24 in a sports car before moving fulltime to IndyCars in 1990. He moved to stock cars full time in 1994 and raced through 2003.
Overall, he made 476 career starts on the Cup and IndyCar circuits, winning three times. NFL: Carolina tight end Greg Olsen announced on Twitter that he’ll be leaving the Panthers. Olsen has one year remaining on his contract. Baseball: Seattle agreed to a $1.6 million, oneyear contract with reliever Yoshihisa Hirano. ... Pat Valaika is back with the Orioles, who claimed the infielder off waivers from Arizona . ... Infielder Jordy Mercer agreed to a minorleague deal to remain with the Detroit Tigers.