Olympian says doctor abused her
Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman says she was sexually abused by a former USA Gymnastics team doctor.
Raisman told “60 Minutes” she was 15 when she was first treated by Dr. Larry Nassar, who spent more than two decades working with athletes at USA Gymnastics. He’s in jail in Michigan awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.
Raisman, the captain of the 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold-medal winning teams, details the abuse in her book “Fierce.” Raisman’s interview with “60 Minutes” will air Sunday.
McKayla Maroney, who won two medals at the 2012 Games, said last month she was molested for years by Nassar.
Nassar also is awaiting trial on separate criminal sexual conduct charges and has been sued by more than 125 women alleging sexual abuse. Nassar has pleaded not guilty to the assault charges, and the dozens of civil suits filed in Michigan are in mediation.
USA Gymnastics said in a statement Friday that Raisman sharing her experience took “courage” and it is “appalled by the conduct of which Larry Nassar is accused.”
Hope Solo told a Portuguese newspaper that former FIFA President Sepp Blatter sexually assaulted her at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in 2013.
In an interview published in the newspaper Expresso, Solo said Blatter grabbed her rear end shortly before the two appeared onstage at the annual soccer awards event.
Blatter could not immediately be reached for comment by the AP, but the former head of soccer’s governing body told the Guardian newspaper: “This allegation is ridiculous.”
Japanese star wants to move to MLB next season
Japanese pitcher-outfielder Shohei Ohtani announced on Saturday he wants to move to Major League Baseball next season.
“I hope to do my best in America from next year on,” Ohtani said during a news conference at the Japanese National Press Center in Osaka.
Ohtani’s Japanese club, the Nippon-Ham Fighters, said on Friday they will allow Ohtani to use the posting system this offseason, clearing the way for him to sign with a major league team next season.
Ohtani, 23, is the reigning Pacific League MVP and was 3-2 with a 3.20 ERA this year. Despite thigh and ankle injuries, he batted .332 in 65 games with 16 doubles, eight homers and 31 RBIs. He had ankle surgery last month.
He has a 42-15 record with a 2.52 ERA and 624 strikeouts in 543 innings over five seasons, and a .286 batting average with 48 homers and 166 RBIs.
Because Ohtani has less than nine years of service time, Nippon-Ham retains his rights and he must go through the posting system to leave.
If Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Assn. and Nippon Professional Baseball agree to a deal that would extend the expired posting agreement through this offseason, the team that signs Ohtani would pay the Fighters $20 million. Under MLB’s labor contract, his signing bonus is restricted and remaining pool money is limited to a high of $3.535 million.
Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig, Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons and Angels catcher Martin Maldonado each was honored as defensive player of the year at his position.
The Wilson awards, announced Friday, are based on a variety of statistical rankings. The Gold Glove awards, announced earlier this week, are based on a vote of managers and coaches.
Simmons and Maldonado each won a Gold Glove; Puig did not.
The Wilson awards also honored the Dodgers as defensive team of the year. — Bill Shaikin
Anderson Silva has been removed from the main event of the UFC’s Nov. 25 card in China after testing positive for a banned substance. If Silva, 42, is convicted of a doping violation, he would face a multiyear ban.
A first-half goal from Anika Rodriguez and two in the second half from Julie Hernandez and Mackenzie Cerda paced fourthranked UCLA to a 3-1 win over San Diego State in the first round of the NCAA women’s national soccer tournament at UCLA. The Bruins (16-2-2) meet the winner of Sunday’s Butler-Northwestern game in Round 2.
No. 9 USC (14-3-1), the defending national champion, will play host to Eastern Washington (16-5-1) on Saturday at noon, and 11thranked Pepperdine (14-2-3) plays Cal State Fullerton (12-5-4) at 1 p.m. in Malibu. — Kevin Baxter
Italy was left at serious risk of failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades after losing to Sweden 1-0 in the opening leg of their playoff in Solna, Sweden.
Patrick Rodgers moved to the top of the leaderboard by running off four straight birdies and reaching 11 under par until the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, was suspended by darkness . ... Shanshan Feng carded a one-over 73 to take a one-shot lead after the third round of the Blue Bay LPGA in Hainan, China.