Larry Nassar, a former USA gymnastics team doctor, has been accused of sexual abuse by two gymnasts, including an Olympic medalist.
The gymnasts told the Indianapolis Star in separate interviews about their allegations against Nassar. One filed a lawsuit in California last week, which was not released until Monday, the Star said. The women alleged that Nassar molested them while he treated them multiple times in the 1990s and early 2000, according to the newspaper.
The woman who filed the lawsuit in California was an Olympic medalist. She also claimed in the suit that USA Gymnastics, the Olympic governing body of the sport in the United States, failed to act on suspicions regarding Nassar's conduct, the Star reported. Her name was not revealed by the newspaper or in court documents.
"Our client represents the very best America has to offer," John Manly and Vince Finaldi, the attorneys who filed the lawsuit, said in a statement, according to CBS News. "She sacrificed her youth and adolescence, spending thousands of hours in rigorous and often painful training to bring glory to our nation as an Olympic athlete.
"She had an absolute right to trust USA Gymnastics, its coaches and staff. Unfortunately, they have proven time and again that they are more interested in protecting the reputation of their multi-million-dollar enterprise than the child athletes who are entrusted to their care," the statement continued.
The Star reported that the second woman, identified as Rachael Denhollander, of Louisville, Kentucky, reportedly filed a police report against Nassar at Michigan State University, where Nassar worked as a team physician and an associate professor, according to the school's website.
Denhollander was treated at Michigan State as a teenage gymnast, according to medical records, the Star noted. Michigan State told the newspaper that Nassar was suspended from clinical and patient duties Aug. 30 after the complaint was filed and will remain suspended during the course of the investigation.
Nassar defended himself through his attorney Matthew Borgula.
"Dr. Nassar, to the extent the allegations are against him, adamantly denies any misconduct at this or any other time," Borgula told the Star.
Nassar served as the team physician for Michigan State's women's gymnastics and women's crew teams, according to the university. He is also an associate professor in school's radiology department, division of sports medicine and teaches sports medicine and physical exam skills to the first- and second-year medical students in Michigan State's College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Nassar had served as USA Gymnastics' team physician during four Olympic Games, but left his position a year ago, according to the Star.
"USA Gymnastics has cooperated fully with the law enforcement agency since we first notified them of the matter, including - at their request - refraining from making further statements or taking any other action that might interfere with the agency’s investigation," a USA Gymnastics statement read Monday, according to CBS News.
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