Aly Raisman Sues US Gymnastics Over Nassar Sexual Abuse

Needham native Aly Raisman is taking USA Gymnastics and their top officials to court over the sexual abuse committed by disgraced doctor Larry Nassar.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist filed court documents in Santa Clara Superior Court in California against the national governing body, Nassar, former USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny, and former USA Gymnastics Chairman Paul Parrilla. Court documents were filed on Feb. 28 and the case is scheduled to be in front of a judge June 12, according to the court's online docket database.

Raisman claims that the organization was more concerned about winning medals than the wellbeing of their athletes. In a statement given to multiple media outlets, Raisman said, “It has become painfully clear that these organizations have no intention of properly addressing this problem. Without a solid understanding of how this happened, it is delusional to think sufficient changes can be implemented. Meanwhile, thousands of young athletes continue to train and compete every day in this same broken system.”

Her attorney, John Manly, said the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics took part in, “a conspiracy to silence victims and cover-up the largest child sex abuse scandal in history.”

Nassar is currently serving 40 to 175 years in prison for sexually assaulting minors as the USA Gymnastics team doctor. He was also sentenced to 60 years in a federal prison for unrelated child pornography charges.

Raisman revealed that she was abused by Nassar in a November 2017 60 Minutes interview. She later went on to give an emotional victim impact statement at Nassar's sentencing and was among 160 victims to do so.

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