Once upon a time, he was known as a world-famous doctor for gymnastics. He was Team USA Gymnastics Medical Coordinator. Now, he is sentenced up to 175 years in prison. This coming after 150 female gymnasts spoke out about sexual abuse.
Dr. Lawrence G. Nassar, 54, started his career with Team USA in 1986, as an athletic trainer. The sexual abuse allegedly started in 1994, where a gymnast, who later became an Olympic medalist came forward and said the abuse lasted over a span of 6 years. A lawsuit was filed in 2016.
Years later, in 1997, Nassar became a physician and assistant professor at (Michigan State University) MSU. Student-athletes one by one started coming forward about sexual abuse, but the university failed to take action on the situation. Nassar was still very involved with Team USA, traveling to the Olympic Games.
Winning gold in 1996, 2012, and 2016, the USA gymnastics team created a name for themselves as the best, they were labeled “The Final Five.” They are the final Olympic team to be made up of five members, beginning in 2020 Olympic teams will only consist of four members. It was also team coordinator Marta Karolyi's final Olympics. Nobody knew what was taking place behind the scenes. A doctor, a person these athletes were supposed to trust, prayed on them and used his power to do unthinkable things.
As more victims came forward, action was taken. On Nov. 22, 2016, Nassar was charged with three counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under the age 13. He was released on a $1 million bond. Fifty complaints came out regarding sexual abuse regarding Nassar.
Aly Raisman, a member of the 2012 and 2016 Olympic teams says justice was not served in the Nassar sentencing. She wanted answers but didn’t get them.
As people around the world watched the “Fierce Five” and “Final Five” do amazing things and set the bar of excellence to a new standard, a doctor, prayed on young athletes for his own benefit.
On Jan. 24 During the sentencing, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina made it very clear that Nassar will die in prison.
“I just signed your death warrant,” Aquilina said.
As for the girls that were abused, nothing will take the pain that has been caused, but now, they know all the young gymnasts that come after them will not experience the nightmare they once did.
