The Latest: Suit against USA Gymnastics doc names Karolyis
LOS ANGELES – The Latest on a sex abuse lawsuit against a former longtime USA Gymnastics doctor that also names husband-and-wife coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi (all times local):
3:30 p.m.
A former gymnast on the U.S. women’s national team is the latest athlete to accuse a longtime team doctor of sexual abuse.
But she’s the first to allege renowned husband-and-wife coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi knew about the abuse and did nothing to stop it.
The lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles contends Dr. Larry Nassar repeatedly sexually abused the now-24-year-old gymnast when she was on the team from 2006 to 2011.
It says the Karolyis, and the current and former presidents of USA Gymnastics knew of molestations committed by Nassar before and during his employment, “yet chose to allow him to remain unsupervised,” allowing further abuse.
Nassar’s lawyer and the Karolyis didn’t respond to messages Thursday. Nassar’s lawyer has previously denied abuse allegations by two other gymnasts.
USA Gymnastics is also named in the suit. The Indiana-based governing body denies wrongdoing.
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2 p.m.
A former gymnast on the U.S. women’s national team has become the latest athlete to accuse a longtime team doctor of sexual abuse.
The lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles contends Dr. Larry Nassar repeatedly sexually abused the now-24-year-old gymnast when she was on the team from 2006 to 2011.
Nassar’s lawyer didn’t respond to messages Thursday, but he has previously denied abuse allegations by two other gymnasts. The Associated Press does not generally identify those who say they are victims of sex crimes.
The lawsuit is the first against Nassar to name renowned national team leaders Bela and Martha Karolyi. It says the husband-and-wife team created a toxic environment that allowed the alleged abuse to thrive, and if they didn’t know about it, they should have.
The Karolyis didn’t respond to requests for comment. USA Gymnastics is also named in the suit. The Indiana-based governing body denies wrongdoing.
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