GYMNAST BILES' ABUSE SCANDAL IS LESSON UNLEARNED

Larry Nassar is arguably the worst known sexual predator in the history of sport. Across seven days in a courtroom in Lansing, Michigan, more than 160 girls, women and parents described how the doctor had perpetrated his abuse under the guise of medical treatment, with his crimes spanning a generation of female gymnasts, including four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles. Oliver Brown’s column aimed to highlight the institutional code of silence that allowed this to happen. How could such monstrous acts be concealed for so long? How could USA Gymnastics (USAG) continue to allow athletes to train at the same Texas ranch where Nassar had abused them, even after the scandal broke? This piece sought to bring such unsettling questions to much wider attention. Since the time of writing, Nassar has been sentenced to 175 years in prison, while USAG has filed for bankruptcy and is on the verge of being dismantled as a governing body.