FOUR-TIME Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles said on Monday she was sexually abused by former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar, the latest in a list of female athletes to accuse the doctor of misconduct.
The 20-year-old American, who was a key member of the U.S. team that won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, joins a number of top-level gymnasts who have accused Nassar of abuse, including Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney.
"I too am one of the many survivors that was sexually abused by Larry Nassar," Biles, 20, wrote in a letter posted on her Twitter account.
"Please believe me when I say it was a lot harder to first speak those words out loud than it is now to put them on paper. There are many reasons that I have been reluctant to share my story, but I know now it is not my fault."
Nassar's attorneys did not immediately respond when asked to comment.
Nassar was sentenced last month to 60 years in prison on federal child pornography charges and is set to be sentenced this week in Michigan after pleading guilty to additional counts of criminal sexual conduct related to allegations he assaulted girls under the guise of medical treatment.
"It is not normal to receive any type of treatment from a trusted team physician and refer to it horrifyingly as the 'special' treatment," Biles wrote.
"This behaviour is completely unacceptable, disgusting, and abusive, especially coming from someone whom I was TOLD to trust."
Biles, who won a record three successive world all around titles before winning four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, said the alleged incidents left her broken and the more she tried to "shut off the voice in my head the louder it screams."
She has been an elite gymnast since 2011 and after taking a break to enjoy life away from the gym, she is now training and planning to make her return at the U.S. Classic in late July with the goal of competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
"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 in Tokyo 2020, I will have to continually return to the same training facility where I was abused," wrote Douglas.
Reuters
Tue Jan 16 2018
In this Aug 16, 2016 file photo, Biles displays her gold medal for floor during the artistic gymnastics women's apparatus final at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. - AP Photo
Indonesia sediakan sistem keselamatan siber sokong transformasi digital
Kementerian Komunikasi dan Hal Ehwal Digital sedang menyediakan sistem keselamatan siber bagi menyokong pelaksanaan transformasi digital di Indonesia.
Ekonomi ASEAN mengalami pertumbuhan stabil pada 2024 di sebalik cabaran
Asia Tenggara muncul sebagai antara rantau dengan pertumbuhan ekonomi paling pesat di dunia.
Tiga kilang perabot, kotak di Bandar Puncak Alam terbakar
Tiga premis dipercayai kilang perabot dan kotak di Taman Perindustrian Alam Jaya, Bandar Puncak Alam di Kuala Selangor dilaporkan terbakar malam ini.
Tumpuan Ahad – 15 Disember 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
Selebriti lelaki ditahan di Cyberjaya, disyaki miliki ganja
Seorang selebriti tempatan ditahan selepas disyaki memiliki dadah jenis ganja dalam serbuan di sebuah rumah teres di Cyberjaya, pada Sabtu.
BN dan UMNO tetap rakan setia politik dengan PH
Pengerusi Barisan Nasional (BN), Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi menyatakan parti itu akan kekal setia sebagai rakan politik bersama Pakatan Harapan (PH) di dalam Kerajaan Perpaduan pimpinan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Jelas beliau, BN dan juga UMNO juga tidak akan termakan dengan ajakan serta pujukan daripada mana-mana pihak untuk meninggalkan gabungan sedia ada.
Saya dinasihatkan kekal sebagai MB Selangor - Amirudin
Amirudin berkata kestabilan adalah penting untuk kerajaan negeri meneruskan apa yang telah dimulakan, termasuk merangka Rancangan Selangor Kedua yang dijangka siap pada 2026.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Sabtu, 14 Disember 2024.
10 Berita Pilihan - (14 Disember 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Selebriti lelaki ditahan di Cyberjaya, disyaki miliki ganja
Seorang selebriti tempatan ditahan selepas disyaki memiliki dadah jenis ganja dalam serbuan di sebuah rumah teres di Cyberjaya, hari ini.
Kes cabul atlet wanita: Larry Nassar dihukum penjara 125 tahun lagi
Kes terbaharu itu menjadikan jumlah wanita yang mendakwa telah dicabul Nassar telah mencecah lebih 265 orang sepanjang tiga dekad khidmatnya sebagai doktor pasukan gimnastik.
Komuniti Michigan mohon maaf, menyesal tidak percaya aduan mangsa rogol
Permohonan maaf itu dibuat dalam satu majlis terbuka mewakili penduduk serta pihak berkuasa kepada mangsa-mangsa cabul Nassar.
U.S. Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles says doctor sexually abused her
Four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles said on Monday she was sexually abused by former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar.