SOONER SPEAKS OUT
A new Netflix documentary focuses on former OU gymnast Maggie Nichols, who was the first to report abuse by a USA Gymnastics doctor
NORMAN—Maggie Nichols was just 15 years old when she was sent to USA Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar f or a back injury.
What followed was a horrific sequence of sexual abuse, cover-up, retaliation and ultimately — finally — punishment for Nassar and a stop to the pain he inflicted on countless gymnasts over decades.
“Athlete A,” a Netflix documentary by Bonni Cohen
WHERE TO WATCH
Athlete A premiers on Netflix at approximately 2 a.m. Wednesday.
and Jon Shenk premiering Wednesday, details the Indianapolis Star's investigation into Nassar's abuses.
It dives into the cover-up by USA Gymnastics aft er Nichols told officials of the abuse and the revelation of just how widespread Nassar's abuse was.
Nichols, the former OU gymnast, is front and center
in the documentary as its title character. She was described as “Athlete A” in court filings when charges were finally brought against Nassar.
Nichols was initially reluctant to take part in the film and admits she even contemplated backing out during production.
“At first, I wasn't too sure I wanted to do it ,” Nichols said .“A lot of the time I didn' t even want them to come or I didn't want to do the interviews or do stuff.”
But Nichols pushed through for the same reason she decided to come forward, first with what Nassar had done to her and then as Athlete A more than two years ago—she wanted to help others.
“I hope it educates people on the whole situation of youth in gymnastics and Larry Nassar,” Nichols said. “I hope it does that and I hope that it helps people who may have struggled with the same thing or have gone through something similar.
“I just hope people realize how horrible everything was and just how powerful the whole situation is.”
After coming forward with the abuse allegation, Nichols was not chosen for the 2016 U.S. Olympic
team. She was recoveringf roman injury at the Olympic trials, but many around the gymnastics world believe she was excluded f rom the American team, not even granted an alternate spot, because she had reported Nassar's abuse.
Since that Olympic disappointment,
Nichols became one of the most decorated college gymnasts of all time. She scored 22 career perfect 10 sand won a pair of NCAA All-Around titles that could' ve been three if not for the coronavirus pandemic ending her senior season premature ly. But it was more than her dominating success that made her a collegiate gymnastics icon.
Nichols became a popular figure, known simply to many by her
first name, because of the courage she showed coming forward publi cly about having been abused by Nassar.
In January 2018, Nichols put a face to “Athlete A.”
“Up until now, I was identified as Athlete A by USA gymnastics, the US Olympic Committee and Michigan State University ,” Nichols wrote then .“I want everyone to know that he did not do this to Athlete A, he di ditto Maggie Nichols.”
So one rs coach K. J. Kindler was struck by Nichols' bravery in the letter.
“There' s no way to predict or project how it's going to go,” Kindler said .“You just have to blindly go through that and she did that.”
Nichols' revelations l ed Kindler to plenty of reflection, especially
given that plenty of her gymnasts had gone through the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center at Karolyi Ranch, where much of the abuse happened.
“Everyone in the gymnastics com munity worked with Larry Nassar,” Kindler said.
But she knows Nichols' revelation helped plenty of others.
“Her coming forward allowed them the freedom to do so, or at least to come to terms with what they've been through,” Kindler said .“It took them sometime. Some eight months. Some a year. But she definitely inspired people to kind of free themselves of that burden they' ve been carrying.”
Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison in July 2017 after pleading guilty to child pornography charges and then to 175 years in a Michigan state prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of sexual assault of minors. The sentences will be served consecutively.
Now that the do cumentary process is over, Nichols is grateful for having gone through the process, even though it was difficult for her to recount.
“It' s very powerful and very educational, and I think it' ll be very important ,” Nichols said .“I' m very excited for people to see it and the impact it'll have.”