US women's gymnastics...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fox Sports has not reported on this story even once.

Two years ago they finalized a 15-year agreement reportedly worth more than $150-million with Michigan State for the school’s multimedia rights.

https://deadspin.com/fox-sports-has-completely-ignored-the-larry-nassar-sex-1822415652

WOW

Thanks for posting.

Whoa.

What direction does that $150mil go out of curiosity? The school to the network or vice versa?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested to hear from other top gymnasts and their gymnastics programs. Like Chow- wasn't he known for being much more supportive and empathetic than other gyms? Didn't Shawn Johnson have a more normal upbringing than most? And did they avoid this abuse somehow?

I am dying to know why Gabby Douglas left Chow two years before the Rio Olympics. Shawn was recently inducted into her home state's hall of fame and she spoke very positively about Chow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested to hear from other top gymnasts and their gymnastics programs. Like Chow- wasn't he known for being much more supportive and empathetic than other gyms? Didn't Shawn Johnson have a more normal upbringing than most? And did they avoid this abuse somehow?

I am dying to know why Gabby Douglas left Chow two years before the Rio Olympics. Shawn was recently inducted into her home state's hall of fame and she spoke very positively about Chow.

Didn’t her mom have something to do with it? Like she moved to LA and wanted Gabby to come or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Little Girls in Pretty Boxes was a book on elite gymnastics culture that came out in the late 90s...I remember reading it. In some ways it was a warning about what could happen. Gymnastics culture, particularly after the Karolyis became so powerful, we always messed up, even compared to other youth sports at the elite level.

They never should have been allowed to coach in the US or become this powerful. It’s sick.

http://triplefull.blogspot.com/2008/11/karolyi-scandal-quotes-by-adrian-goreac.html?m=1

I expect those evil bastards are getting investigated now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested to hear from other top gymnasts and their gymnastics programs. Like Chow- wasn't he known for being much more supportive and empathetic than other gyms? Didn't Shawn Johnson have a more normal upbringing than most? And did they avoid this abuse somehow?

I am dying to know why Gabby Douglas left Chow two years before the Rio Olympics. Shawn was recently inducted into her home state's hall of fame and she spoke very positively about Chow.

Didn’t her mom have something to do with it? Like she moved to LA and wanted Gabby to come or something.

Gabby was busy being on tour so she took a sabbatical. It ruined her game though.

[Anonymous]

Video from Shawn Johnson-- sounds like she was never abused.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=43&v=dAyg7C2-mjQ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US Olympic Committee, MSU and USA Gymnastics were all complicit in the horrific assault of so many children. Thank goodness the entire USA board has resigned. Next step is completion of the criminal investigation. That may take some time. More people will get charged for their crimes.

I sure hope so. As a Michigan native, the role MSU played in this really angers me. So many chances to stop him- it’s not surprising to me that college-aged women were more likely to recognize his actions as abuse (vs. the younger girls) but their complaints were repeatedly ignored. A sham investigation in 2014 cleared him of wrongdoing. WTF!

I watched a few of the statements, but this one in particular brought me to tears- I really hope meaningful change happens. No one should have to go through this.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kMibEuDSIbo

Horrific

Such abuse at those camps that she purposely bangs her head on the bathtub to try to get out of going. How heartbreaking. This is so much bigger than Nasser.

This one also made me cry. Tells Nasser to name those who let him do this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zlqFrgUud6Y

all of this is o so so horrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US Olympic Committee, MSU and USA Gymnastics were all complicit in the horrific assault of so many children. Thank goodness the entire USA board has resigned. Next step is completion of the criminal investigation. That may take some time. More people will get charged for their crimes.

I sure hope so. As a Michigan native, the role MSU played in this really angers me. So many chances to stop him- it’s not surprising to me that college-aged women were more likely to recognize his actions as abuse (vs. the younger girls) but their complaints were repeatedly ignored. A sham investigation in 2014 cleared him of wrongdoing. WTF!

I watched a few of the statements, but this one in particular brought me to tears- I really hope meaningful change happens. No one should have to go through this.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kMibEuDSIbo

Horrific

Such abuse at those camps that she purposely bangs her head on the bathtub to try to get out of going. How heartbreaking. This is so much bigger than Nasser.

This one also made me cry. Tells Nasser to name those who let him do this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zlqFrgUud6Y

all of this is o so so horrible.

Exactly. If Nassar had one tiny ounce of decency, he'd tell investigators who knew what when.

And who were his accomplices that covered for him with endless lies.

And who else is assaulting people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fox Sports has not reported on this story even once.

Two years ago they finalized a 15-year agreement reportedly worth more than $150-million with Michigan State for the school’s multimedia rights.

https://deadspin.com/fox-sports-has-completely-ignored-the-larry-nassar-sex-1822415652

WOW

Thanks for posting.

Whoa.

Well, except for this where they name a bunch of Michigan people....https://www.foxsports.com/gymnastics/story/a-look-at-the-fallout-from-sports-doctor-scandal-012618

[Anonymous]

USAG needs to put out mandatory questionnaires to athletes and parents of athletes competing above a level 5. They should be random, done by a private separate body, and confidential. They should ask questions about abusive practices at particular gyms. Ratings should be published.
This is the only way to get these slobs of coaches to quit the crazy.

[Anonymous]

Today's Washington Post:

"The report links officials at the Michigan State athletic department to "widespread denial, inaction and information suppression of" sexual assault and abuse dating from 1997, when the first complaint against Larry Nassar was brought forward."

The school is corrupted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested to hear from other top gymnasts and their gymnastics programs. Like Chow- wasn't he known for being much more supportive and empathetic than other gyms? Didn't Shawn Johnson have a more normal upbringing than most? And did they avoid this abuse somehow?

I am dying to know why Gabby Douglas left Chow two years before the Rio Olympics. Shawn was recently inducted into her home state's hall of fame and she spoke very positively about Chow.

Didn’t her mom have something to do with it? Like she moved to LA and wanted Gabby to come or something.

Gabby was busy being on tour so she took a sabbatical. It ruined her game though.

I really felt like Gabby seemed miserable at the Rio Olympics. It didn't seem like she felt part of the team or wanted to be. I know she got crap at the prior Olympics for her hair being unkempt, and at Rio it was more tidy. But it just didn't seem like her heart was in it. On her Instagram feed she's constantly hawking various products. I wonder if she is supporting her mom and siblings - I hope not. I wish she'd just go to college and transition into a new career.

[Anonymous]

MSU is in huge trouble. Sad for all the good people there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested to hear from other top gymnasts and their gymnastics programs. Like Chow- wasn't he known for being much more supportive and empathetic than other gyms? Didn't Shawn Johnson have a more normal upbringing than most? And did they avoid this abuse somehow?

I am dying to know why Gabby Douglas left Chow two years before the Rio Olympics. Shawn was recently inducted into her home state's hall of fame and she spoke very positively about Chow.

Didn’t her mom have something to do with it? Like she moved to LA and wanted Gabby to come or something.

Gabby was busy being on tour so she took a sabbatical. It ruined her game though.

I really felt like Gabby seemed miserable at the Rio Olympics. It didn't seem like she felt part of the team or wanted to be. I know she got crap at the prior Olympics for her hair being unkempt, and at Rio it was more tidy. But it just didn't seem like her heart was in it. On her Instagram feed she's constantly hawking various products. I wonder if she is supporting her mom and siblings - I hope not. I wish she'd just go to college and transition into a new career.

I definitely get the impression she is supporting her mom and siblings. There was a whole reality show about it. It’s really unfair to her and I wonder if that was why she came back for another olympics. I agree she did not look happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, pp.

But if a man stuck his fingers inside me, I would have told my parents as soon as I had a chance. Even if they couldn't make calls from camp (which should have been a red flag to parents---and certainly would have precluded me from sending my child there), they could have (and should have) told their parents at some point. If they did tell their parents and they ignored them, then their parents were complicit on some level.

I don't recall which girl it was (I think she was blonde), but she said she didn't realize she was victimized until she heard one of the others come forward. What does that mean? She didn't realize being fingered by a doctor was assault until
someone else came forward as an adult? That's odd.

You have no idea what you would have done as a child. You're looking at the situation through an adult lens. I watched 20/20 last night and one of the women said that pain and discomfort was part of gymnastics. There were a lot of things about it she didn't enjoy and she trusted her doctor and coaches. These girls were taught to suck it up, work through it and don't complain or there would be another girl happy to take your place.

My sister trained with Dominique Dawes and was actually better than she was, but my parents pulled her out of gymnastics once they realized the craziness of the system. They pushed the kids too hard and had no concern for their wellbeing. They forced them to push through pain and injuries. Any normal parent who loved their child wouldn't let them pursue it at that level.

The fact that these girls suffered injuries and were forced to push through is a red flag. What's the point? Olympics? Who cares. Where are any of those gymnasts now? There's no real fortune that comes with it, and the fame is fleeting. But the lifelong chronic pain stays with you. And now there's the PTSD from sexual assault.

You're exactly right about the chronic pain.
I saw some news reports about Olympic athletes from different countries who were prematurely forced back into competing before their injuries healed. And then died. There's lots of corruption and abuse of different kinds. PP is right that there's zero regard for the athletes' safety or wellbeing.

Too bad all of this systematic abuse and corruption is blowing up right before the start of the Olympics. This will hurt. And it should. This needs to come to a swift halt.

When it come to the safety and protection of children, coaches and administrators at every level must be held accountable. No more forcing athletes and parents to sign wavers.

Where are the mandatory child protection advocates?

Anyone?