WAG Discussion of abuse in USAG - Nassar

[Deleted member D3987]

Is it required of every person who coaches in gym that competes USAG?

that will begin next year as a requirement of SafeSport AND our insurance carriers. either associate or pro. both come with certain testing AND background check.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Is it required of every person who coaches in gym that competes USAG?

and it will be for every gym that is a USAG "Member Club".

 

[bogwoppit]

that will begin next year as a requirement of SafeSpport AND our insurance carriers. either associate or pro. both come with certain testing AND background check.

Regardless of if they will be coaching on the floor at a USAG sanctioned meet? Because that has been a sneaky little loophole some creeps have used before.

If so it is a step in the right direction.

 

[bogwoppit]

and it will be for every gym that is a USAG "Member Club".

Member club, that is the term I was looking for. Thanks.

 

[CAKE]

it is now required.

So, to coach a Jr Olympic team, all of those are now required? or just to be on the floor at a usag sanctioned event?

This is all Im finding as a requirement to be a member club:

USA Gymnastics is committed to promoting a safe environment for its members, participants, coaches, officials, volunteers and staff in all gymnastics disciplines.

To register your organization with USA Gymnastics as a Member Club, you must agree to and comply with the following requirements for the entire membership or registration term, certification of which must be made annually upon application or renewal:

1. 
   Have a policy consistent with USA Gymnastics’ Participant Welfare Policy/Safe Sport Policy that affirms your commitment to the welfare of gymnastics participants in your organization and includes, at minimum,
   – a description of conduct that will not be tolerated,
   – standards of behavior for your staff/volunteers that promote participant welfare,
   
   • including: elimination of privacy, boundaries if physical contact is a necessary part of the activity and encouraging parental monitoring.
   • Proactive polices to eliminate the opportunity of grooming behaviors
   – and a process for receiving and handling complaints regarding conduct that violates your policy.
   
   The Safe Sport Policy, formerly known as the Participant Welfare Policy, is part of USA Gymnastics’ safe sport initiatives and incorporates the authority and jurisdiction of the U.S. Center for SafeSport. USA Gymnastics policies and procedures related to misconduct are presently under review, and updates to this policy may be necessary in the near future. Available online at usagym.org/SafeSport,changes are effective immediately unless otherwise noted in the policy.
   
   
   
2. Not hire or be associated in any way with any person who is permanently ineligible for membership in USA Gymnastics, a list of whom is available at www.usagym.org/ineligible, or any person who is listed on a federal or state sex-offender registry, a search for which may be conducted at www.nsopw.gov.
   
   
3. Maintain current commercial general liability insurance that includes, at minimum, participant liability and participant accident medical insurances.
   
   
4. An owner of private gymnastics facility and/or the managing director of a public/non-profit facility must maintain a current Professional membership with a current Safety, Background and U110 Certification at all times during the club membership.
   
   
5. Have a mission statement consistent with USA Gymnastics' mission to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of gymnastics.
   
   
   

 

[bookworm]

Aly was just on "60 Minutes"....her mom made a very interesting point that while Steve Penny is gone and replaced, every other person who was there when all this went down still works for USAG, so she's not very optimistic for real change....and I have to say, I agree with her.

Aly also points out that when she and her teammates were inducted into the Gymnastics Hall of Fame, there was a table of higher up folks in USAG and NOT ONE of them came over to their table to congratulate any of them...because at this point Maroney had spoken out...but it seemed pretty symptomatic of what is wrong (still) with USAG.

USAG needs to clean house, completely, period....and until that happens, they'll still be the dysfunctional family, unfortunately.

 

[TumbleTimes4]

So what are the thoughts on Valeri Liukin? Is he part of the old eastern bloc of abusive coaches or will he bring change to the National Team?

 

[bookworm]

So what are the thoughts on Valeri Liukin? Is he part of the old eastern bloc of abusive coaches or will he bring change to the National Team?

After reading Ohashi's blog on her account of her time at WOGA, I don't hold my breath waiting for real change with how the National Team is managed.....kind of like now that their secrets are out, they'll get sneakier about it...

 

[duyetanh]

And how is it monitored?

It really doesn't seem like it is monitored, at least not at every gym in America. Look what some of the people are saying happens still at gyms. Sigh.

 

[LoveGymnastics10]

The secretive camp system needs to stop, medals be damned. Parents should accompany all minors to USAG sponsored functions. Period. Not difficult to understand. Shut that evil ranch down. We are not 1970s East Germany and we shouldn't act like it. Hold a trials and take the top finishers. JMO.

Hallelujah if I could like this post 1000 times I would!!! Could not agree more!

 

[z2akids]

I didn't have the opportunity to see Aly's interview. I would be interested in hearing her from her parents. I feel like they are well known and parents might think if they heard her mom and dad use the phrase - we totally trusted her coaches, doctors, etc.

Even here and even after everything that has gone on we read how parents "totally trust" the coach, etc. The problem is - so did every parent of every gymnast who was abused at the Ranch. It is inconceivable that those parents had any significant concern. Having seen how involved Aly's parents are in every skill as they watch her, you just know that they must have felt that their child was safe.

There are very few people in this world I trust completely with my children. My husband and parents and maybe a couple more. But, even then I am aware that most abuse is from family and others very close.

 

[Faith]

the tests and checks do make a difference. We have had safeguarding over here in the uk and it works if people are comitted to it.

However. It still needs parents to stop putting up with harsh treatment and ngb need to put welfare over results. I read this this morning;

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...s-crisis-max-whitlock-refuse-to-sign-contract

And i have to say it rings very, very true for us. I have seen everything in that article first hand. I took my child out of the club because it was toxic, but plenty of other parents not only put up with it but encourage it. The NGB is supporting that club, and is behaving in a way that i really do not like.

 

[profmom]

Wow, Faith. Good for the athletes for raising a stink about this, but it's terrible that they had to risk their funding to get anyone to pay attention!

 

[Jard.the.gymnast]

Don't know if you have seen it already, Aly Raisman comes out for abuse

 

[CAKE]

I love Aly, she is my child's idol. I hate this so much. as a #metoo survivor Im so devastated by how rampant this has been.

Is there any nonprofit organization that gymnasts and other athletes can go to that will investigate and help prosecute these issues? Ive looked but I cant find anyone. I have so many friends that are lawyers who would take this stuff pro bono. There need to be repercussions for every single complicit person. Heads need to roll or the law needs to be used to make them roll.

If it doesnt exist I may just have to start one. Someone needs to! USA Gymnastics cannot be trusted, that is for sure. This culture is so beyond unacceptable and a child shouldnt have to put up with it chase their dreams.

 

[profmom]

There are a few lawyers who have been handling several high profile cases. In terms of criminal prosecution, the problem is that for many of the offenses, the statute of limitations has long since expired. That doesn't necessarily preclude suits for civil damages, but such suits are no walk in the park for individuals recovering from abuse. There's a reason that a lot of the prosecutorial energy has focused on possession of child pornography.

 

[CAKE]

There are a few lawyers who have been handling several high profile cases. In terms of criminal prosecution, the problem is that for many of the offenses, the statute of limitations has long since expired. That doesn't necessarily preclude suits for civil damages, but such suits are no walk in the park for individuals recovering from abuse. There's a reason that a lot of the prosecutorial energy has focused on possession of child pornography.

I guess what Im looking for is a Child protective service of sports. Does that non profit exist? Is there someone kids could go to outside of the governing organization that would get lawyers involved so fast your head will spin and sue every single person complicit? Because it isnt just Nassar. Coaches all over the nation are violating Safesport conduct every single day of the week and it's enough. We dont let our teachers groom and use predatory behaviors, shaming, hazing, etc at our schools, why in the heck are we paying for it in sports? If the USA Gymnastics association will not protect our children, we must.

I, personally, took the safesport course last night. So there is no reason every single coach in america shouldnt have taken it by now. If they havent even made that happen, it's beyond the time of parental action and involvement.

 

[CAKE]

If parents wont even band together and stop sending their kids to that ranch where they dont even allow parents to stay with their own children, then I guess Im just speaking in the wind, but yuck yuck yuck to paying money to people to abuse your children and if we dont learn anything from this and help the culture, it is an absolute tragedy. If we just sit by and watch these young women who are brave enough to finally speak out and do it on our their own, SHAME ON US. Emotional, Physical and Sexual abuse is being sheltered by this culture and if you want to deny that at this point you just want a win so bad you are beyond reason. This is not normal. 75% of elite athletes are victims of mental abuse.. I know that because I watched the SafeSport training...

I like those British gymnasts refusing to sign that contract, too.. strength in numbers, they all finally feel safe to be honest! How tragic!!! Nobody ever protected them, they all needed to band together!!! Young people are all standing up together, but at the end of the day, PARENTS are the ones financing these monsters and it is time to change this culture and stop allowing people to treat children this way. We didnt know before so there is no blame here except on the monsters that did these things.

But we know now and can no longer just accept it or we are complicit. When you accept abusing your child make no mistake, you're way worse than the actions of any abuser if you willfully give them access. You have no idea what it does to the psyche of a child when winning/(or something else) is more important to their parent than protecting them. It makes the whole world unsafe

 

[rjb123]

I am so grateful that Aly has come out and spoken publicly the way she has. She is an athlete that is a representation of what a true champion should look like. Our entire family watched the interview on 60 minutes last night and it was (another) good opportunity to discuss how they should protect themselves not only in their sport, but in life. If you have not watched it, I encourage you to do so- it does not include graphic details- my kids are 8, 11, and 13 and it was completely appropriate for each of them. Watch it with your kids. Talk about it with your kids.

 

[TumbleTimes4]

I thought I remembered reading an article that USAG was backing out of the purchase of the ranch and looking into building a training center in Colorado Springs like the men. Is this true, or was it just a rumor?