WAG Federal Child Pornography Charges Filed Against Dr. Nassar

[GymDad9.9]

Just saw it being reported on ESPN mobile app.

 

[Seeker]

http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2016/...-usa-gymnastics-doctor/?cid=eref:nbcnews:text

 

[duyetanh]

Holy CRAP.
No offense to any out there who had their child checked out by him...but I am really glad mine never was.

 

[Gymmommy71]

Disgusting stuff - wonder if he and Sharp collected this stuff together. They did know each other, right? Wouldn't they have traveled together a lot for team USA events?

 

[Lunde]

Also the report in the Indystar that 368 gymnasts have reported sexual abuse in the last 20 years - yet many accused were free to hop from gym to gym when sacked
http://www.indystar.com/story/news/...gymnasts-allege-sexual-exploitation/95198724/

 

[munchkin3]

That Indystar sure has it out for USAG......I hope the Feds set up that sports oversight entity soon.....

 

[mandkmom]

Have it out for USAG? I don't think exposing gross neglect is really having it out for them. I'm glad someone is exposing the abuse and hopefully this will lead to long term change. Something needs to change.

 

[munchkin3]

Mandkmom, go back and look at Dunnos posts for an explanation of USAGs role in law enforcement for pedophiles......certainly, a VERY complicated situation, but to chalk it up and say it's ALL USAGs fault? That would be ill informed.........by 'knowing' who is scum does not prohibit them from coaching, or treating, or being around kids......you have to have a warrant/evidence.
I'm sure there are people at fault from parents and club owners, all the way up to the ranch......
This guy is scum- no doubt. I don't know who is at fault....I hope that by bringing this story to light, USAG and the rest of the sporting associations in the US will set up a way to actually investigate and get these people....
I applaud the athletes that stepped forward. They will be put through a lot, after already going through some terrible stuff......my heart goes out to them.

 

[munchkin3]

Granted- the Larry Nasser case seems to be a pretty big screw up on the part of universities, clubs and USAG......this guy is scum....

 

[mandkmom]

I didn't say that it's all USAGs fault. I just reacted to the statement that Indy star had it out for them. INDY star is a news outlet reporting on a large, powerful organization and the many victims that are/were members of that organization. Do you think it would be better to just not report on the abuse? Having it out for someone implies (to me) that you think USAG is being treated extremely unfairly- and I've read nothing in the articles or on this board that makes me believe that is the case.

USAG must shoulder some (a lot?) of the blame if for no other reason than they are in a position of authority and influence. They can make changes. Thus far they seem more concerned with PR than the victims and possible future victims.

 

[coachmolly]

This guy is scum- no doubt. I don't know who is at fault....I hope that by bringing this story to light, USAG and the rest of the sporting associations in the US will set up a way to actually investigate and get these people....
I applaud the athletes that stepped forward. They will be put through a lot, after already going through some terrible stuff......my heart goes out to them.

Unfortunately, USA Swimming found itself in a massive scandal of this variety several years ago and while it was impetus for them to get their act together, it appears it had little impact elsewhere. At least nothing long lasting. And I'm not just speaking about USAG, I also work in the high school sports world and some of the things they do, while not intentionally seeking to harm athletes, are perhaps not 100% thought out in terms of "what could go wrong?" "Is this practice the best way to keep all of our athletes and coaches safe?"
I think maybe we need to start taking notes from other countries who have more uniform policies throughout the country and all activities involving children. While I'm sure things happen in those countries as well, because we have already determined that the people perpetrating these crimes are a special kind of evil and will go to any length to commit these horrifying acts, we need to create as many safeguards as possible.

 

[munchkin3]

Indystar has been reporting this all year- and backing USAG into a corner. In one way, I applaud that they are making an issue of it, but on another, I don't like how they are making USAG out as the secret keeper, and criminal protector. Most people read this and they agree and blame it all on them....USAGs job is not to oversee coaches.....we need some organization who can be in charge of that.
It freaks me out to know if there is a 'bad' coach in my gym, the parents would report to the gym/authorities and the the police will ask for evidence! Kids word against an adult! USAG can do nothing with this sort of thing, and it happens all the time!
When a scum coach gets fired, the only recourse a gym owner has to protect kids, (if nothing official) it to call the new gym, where the bad coach got a job and warn them!
I'm sure USAG had tons of warnings and calls from gym owners and parents telling them about bad coaches, but what are they to do with the information? Call the cops? Does this make USAG bad? Maybe.
The point is- as coachmolly says- for ALL sports involving children in the United States, there needs to be a place where parents/gym owners can call to report these bad people, and that organization can then secretly begin to build a file to snatch them......
These articles are designed to bring to light terrible things, but they do no favors in the long run for the good people, and regular gymnasts like our kids because they take the easy scapegoat....in this case, it's all USAGs fault for harboring pedophiles.....most people will just go with it....

I'm no expert here, but My gut says, the ranch is WAY more of a dirty little secret place, than USAG.....and that's a whole other story!!!!

 

[rjb123]

I don't think that anyone thinks it is ALL the fault of USAG. However, I do wonder why there is not some sort of mandated reporting to USAG when a gym fires a coach for these types of behaviors. I mean, they should not allow them to maintain their status in the organization if there is even a history of this behavior. Or they are flagged. And then two or three strikes you are out type of thing. Three times fired even with no charges, no membership in USAG. Just thinking off the top of my head here...

 

[Seeker]

With every new report, I wonder how Steve Penny still has a job. I have read every single post here, every single report and every court document they've linked to and I do think that USAG bears much more responsibility in this situation than they believe. They are not exempt based from responsibility on my reading of the laws and statutes they're hiding behind.

We'll find out eventually how the law sees it as this makes its way through the court system, but in my opinion (I am not a lawyer) they have willfully ignored issues reported to them that allowed criminals continued access to our children. I will be following this closely to see what happens.

 

[bogwoppit]

With every new report, I wonder how Steve Penny still has a job.

This x 1000.

 

[LindyHopper]

I don't know where to place the blame. Some of it absolutely belongs to USAG. But I don't see how USAG can stop member clubs from hiring a coach. I don't see how anyone can stop one of these scummy coaches (or doctors or whatever) from being hired somewhere else in gymnastics. Without some sort of proof or without some sort of charges/conviction, the scummy person could sue for libel and/or slander. It's not as simple as some (including the Indy Star on occasion) make it out to be.

 

[Faith]

The uk do it. We have a central database- google dbs check, and every coach must pass.

All complaints stay on record. They build a pattern, so multiple minor complaints build a picture of that coaches behaviour.
Clubs must report if they sack a coach for safeguarding reasons.

Presumably it's not libel or slander as it's not public record. All a new employer will be told is that they passed or failed the dbs check. You cannot employ someone who fails.

I kind of think a childs rights to safety trump any a coach may have with regard to libel.

 

[munchkin3]

Legally I think it would be difficult for there to be a report system which would revoke certifications for coaches without there being some real evidence.....this is where it is sketchy for USAG....imagine revoking someone who did nothing wrong?
I'm not saying Penny is good or bad, and I certainly would feel differently if I had a child who was molested. Perhaps a change and some fresh blood is needed.

Back to the article- Nasser should be hung. The other article from Indystar is a great ice breaker. I hope USAG can implement some easy fixes like background checks for ALL coaches....(heck, my son is coaching at 16 and he had a background check!!)
I think training is so critical! I think parents should take a mandatory class if they have a child member......coaches must have annual training, and there must be some kind of anonymous hotline where reports can be made.

I don't know- it's all so horrible. I feel so terrible for all the families affected. I am sure there are people in the organization who have knowledge of these scumbags, but I just don't know how much USAG can do.....maybe they need more power? Club owners also need to be careful who they hire.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I didn't say that it's all USAGs fault. I just reacted to the statement that Indy star had it out for them. INDY star is a news outlet reporting on a large, powerful organization and the many victims that are/were members of that organization. Do you think it would be better to just not report on the abuse? Having it out for someone implies (to me) that you think USAG is being treated extremely unfairly- and I've read nothing in the articles or on this board that makes me believe that is the case.

USAG must shoulder some (a lot?) of the blame if for no other reason than they are in a position of authority and influence. They can make changes. Thus far they seem more concerned with PR than the victims and possible future victims.

if the most famous child sex/abuse organization, any one in the USA, had been running USA Gymnastics the exact same thing would have happened.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

The uk do it. We have a central database- google dbs check, and every coach must pass.

All complaints stay on record. They build a pattern, so multiple minor complaints build a picture of that coaches behaviour.
Clubs must report if they sack a coach for safeguarding reasons.

Presumably it's not libel or slander as it's not public record. All a new employer will be told is that they passed or failed the dbs check. You cannot employ someone who fails.

I kind of think a childs rights to safety trump any a coach may have with regard to libel.

the safety of ANY child in ANY endeavor will always trump everything. but that's not how it works here in the USA. as i've stated before, this is a very complicated problem for everyone...parents, clubs, USAG, etc;