Simone Biles delivers powerful testimony about Larry Nassar abuse, calls out 'entire system that enabled' him
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Simone Biles delivered powerful testimony before Congress on Wednesday about being sexually abused by Larry Nassar, blaming the "entire system" that enabled him.
The decorated gymnast spoke during a Senate hearing on the FBI's handling of an investigation into Nassar, the convicted former team USA gymnastics doctor who more than 250 women have said sexually abused them. Biles became emotional as she told the Senate she was sexually abused by Nassar and that the "organizations created by Congress" to protect her "failed to do ther jobs."
"I don't want another young gymnast, Olympic athlete, or any individual to experience the horror that I and hundreds of others have endured before, during, and continuing to this day in the wake of the Larry Nassar abuse," Biles said. "To be clear, I blame Larry Nassar, and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse."
Biles testified that USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee "knew that I was abused by their official team doctor long before I was ever made aware of their knowledge." She went on to say that "we suffered and continue to suffer because no one at the FBI, USAG, or the USOPC did what was necessary to protect us," adding, "We have been failed, and we deserve answers."
The hearing came after the Justice Department's inspector general released a report in July concluding that there were "numerous and fundamental" errors during the investigation into Nassar's abuse. Biles testified that after reading this report, "it truly feels like the FBI turned a blind eye to us." She called for those who "enabled" Nassar to "be held accountable," warning that if they aren't, "this will continue to happen to others across Olympic sports." She concluded that the "impacts of this man's abuse are not ever over or forgotten" and that she "never should have been left alone to suffer the abuse of Larry Nassar."