Washington (AFP) – US Senator Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday pressed her case to fellow lawmakers for requiring US amateur sports governing bodies to notify law-enforcement agencies regarding all reports of abuse.
The move follows a CBS 60 Minutes report Sunday in which three women detailed their allegations of abuse by former USA Gymnastics national team doctor Lawrence Nassar, with an attorney for a group of alleged victims saying US Olympians as far back as 1996 might have suffered sexual abuse.
Nassar, jailed in Michigan on child pornography and criminal sexual conduct charges, has denied the allegations and says his treatments were legitimate medical practices.
USA Gymnastics last week sent a letter to several senators touting reviews and panels but failed to commit to a policy that requires law enforcement notification for abuse reports.
That left Feinstein unsatisfied with the level of protection being offered by USA Gymnastics, a standard she wants all US amateur sports organizations adhering to in order to better safeguard young athletes in all sports.
“Allegations of sexual abuse received by amateur athletic governing bodies or the adults who work with young athletes must be promptly reported to local and federal law enforcement. No other policy is acceptable,” she said.
“The Ted Stevens Amateur and Olympic Sports Act must also be amended to make it easier for victims to safely report abuse to trained adults and ensure coaches accused of abuse aren’t hired at other gyms.”
Feinstein is working on such legislation.
“The simple truth is that more must be done to stamp out sexual abuse, and in amateur athletics that must start with the governing bodies,” she said.
In the report, former US national team gymnasts Jamie Dantzscher, Jessica Howard and Jeanette Antolin outlined an atmosphere of fear and tension at a remote Texas training camp run by Bela and Marta Karolyi.
The women said they felt uncomfortable with some of the touching and treatments Nassar used but felt they could not complain for fear they might cost themselves their prized spots in international events including the Olympics.
“No one was watching to protect these girls and they (the Karolyis and USA Gymnastics) put medals and money first,” said John Manly, a California attorney representing more than 40 women in a lawsuit against USA Gymnastics and the Karolyis.
“It was an environment of fear.”
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