Abuse scandal: Athlete cuts ties with training centre News

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Abuse scandal: Athlete cuts ties with training centre

By Daily Sports on January 19, 2018

USA gymnastics has announced it will no longer use the national team training centre where former team doctor Larry Nassar carried out abuse of athletes, including Olympian Simone Biles.

The Karolyi Ranch in Texas was named by several of 130 plus women as a place they were abused by the 54-year-old.

"Our priority is our athletes and their training must reflect this," said USA gymnastics President Kerry Perry.

Nassar was jailed for 60 years for possessing child sex abuse images.

He has also admitted assaulting gymnasts.

Perry continued: "USA gymnastics has terminated its agreement with the Karolyi Ranch in Huntsville, Texas. It will no longer serve as our national team training centre.

"We are committed to a culture that empowers and supports our athletes."

The governing body has also cancelled the women's national team training camp which was due to take place next week as they "explore alternative sites".

On Tuesday, four-time Rio Olympic champion Biles became the latest USA gymnast to state she was sexually abused by Nassar.

The 20-year-old is one of more than 140 women to have accused Nassar of abuse, and the latest gymnast after Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas in what is the biggest scandal of its kind to happen in sport.

In an emotional statement, Biles said: "It is impossibly difficult to relive these experiences and it breaks my heart even more to think that as I work towards my dream of competing at Tokyo 2020, I will have to continually return to the same training facility where I was abused." (BBC)

•Photo shows Simone Biles.

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 19, 2018