Probe concludes change necessary
Athletes’ well-being must take precedent over quest for medals
USA Gymnastics, in the wake of increased sexual abuse complaints against athletes involving coaches or medical personnel, requires a+ “complete cultural change” emphasizing devotion to athletes’ wellbeing over the quest for Olympic and world championship medals, according to a 100-page report compiled by a former federal prosecutor. The report on the federation’s policies and procedures, compiled by Indianapolis attorney and former assistant U.S. attorney general Deborah Daniels and made public Tuesday, says the federation fell short on numerous fronts, including some elements related to the isolated nature of the women’s national team training center at Bela and Martha Karolyi’s ranch in the Sam Houston National Forest north of Houston.
It also acknowledges that the number of athletes subjected to sexual abuse “is surely far higher” than the number of victims who have told their stories in interviews or in lawsuits against the federation, and it said that USA Gymnastics fell short in its responsibilities in providing a safe environment for young athletes.
“There is an external perception that the primary focus of the organization is on winning medals, and that wouldn’t be surprising,” Daniels said during a Tuesday conference call. “But what we are saying is that there needs to be a clear articulation that the culture is athlete safety first, not
just success on the field of play, that needs to … permeate through the entire organization.”
Daniels’ report included about 70 recommendations that have been adopted by the USA Gymnastics board of directors, including a more open atmosphere at the women’s national training center. The team continues to train each month at the Karolyi Ranch, but USA Gymnastics has canceled plans to purchase the property and is looking for another training location.
The Daniels report, which involved interviews with about 160 people over a six-month period, came in the wake of state and federal charges against former federation doctor Larry Nassar, who last week was ordered to stand trial in Michigan on 12 counts of sexual abuse and faces accusations by other former gymnasts, including national team and Olympic team members.
Daniels, however, said her report was limited to recommendations regarding USA Gymnastics bylaws and procedures and that she was not asked to conduct a criminal investigation regarding actions by Nassar and other current or former federation officials, including the Karolyis, former national team coordinators and owners of the training center complex.
‘Precedent-setting’
Daniels said her recommendations include several commonsense proposals, such as the direction that USA Gymnastics members and officials at member clubs should immediately report suspected cases of sexual abuse to local law enforcement and “err on the side of protecting the athletes in all situations.”
“Sometimes it takes someone to come into an organization and say you don’t actually require people to report abuse,” Daniels said. “You give them an avenue to do it, but you don’t tell them to do it.”
She said the federation “had no real leverage” over member clubs in the past and did not feel it could enforce regulations against abusive behavior. New policies should “treat membership like the privilege that it is and that membership can be at risk.”
Daniels said the recommendations, if adopted and implemented, will be “precedent-setting” for sports federations.
The federation also adopted a safe sport policy that covers not only sexual misconduct but physical misconduct, bullying, hazing, harassment or emotional and verbal misconduct.
It also requires member clubs to adopt its policies preventing one-on-one interaction between an athlete and a coach or staff member in a private setting or in an inappropriate setting away from the training or competition venue.
Failures of procedure at the Karolyi Ranch, the report said, included the lack of a clear policy on transporting athletes to the remote location, the lack of more clearly defined rules for athletes lodging, which according to one former athlete allowed her to be abused in her room, inadequate space for medical exams and no quick or reliable way for athletes to contact their parents.
Attorney unimpressed
Paul Parilla, president of the USA Gymnastics board of directors, said the federation apologizes for past abuses, saying, “Even one incident of child abuse is one too many. … While success in competition is important, it is not to be at the expense of any athletes’ health and safety.”
Parilla said among the recommendations is a database of coaches or other personnel who have been convicted of or accused of abusive behavior to prevent them from traveling from gym to gym and the clear statement that suspected abuse should be reported to law enforcement immediately.
USA Gymnastics is without a CEO in the wake of Steve Penny’s resignation earlier this year under pressure from the U.S. Olympic Committee. The federation hopes to have a successor in place later this year.
The federation, Daniels and her report received a harsh reception from Los Angeles attorney John Manly, who represents former Olympic bronze medalist Jamie Dantzscher and other gymnasts in a lawsuit against Nassar, the federation and the Karolyis.
He said that unlike other investigations such as the probe of the Penn State sexual abuse scandal, Daniels’ report falls short in not identifying those responsible for allowing a culture in which athletes could be abused.
“This is designed to give USA Gymnastics and its leaders cover for what can only be described as a massive failure of children and families,” Manly said. “It’s a bunch of policy changes, which are welcome, but it’s more about public relations than substance, which I find to be repugnant.”