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Could Lawrence Nassar have been prevented from assaulting dozens of athletes?

-Lauren Green, Sports Illustrated, March 3, 2017

The answer is “yes,” it’s not even debatable.  At the request of the Indianapolis Star, a judge released more than 5,600 pages last Friday detailing how USA Gymnastics handled sexual abuse allegations against coaches over a 10-year period of time.  The records, including sworn testimony, revealed some coaches weren’t banned from the sport until years after they were convicted of crimes against children.  Finally, USA Gymnastics banned 37 or the 54 coaches in the files.  Forty-eight involved law enforcement.

Some are asking “How MSU President Simon had the worst child molester in US history hiding in plain sight on her campus while she sat in judgment of Penn State.  For Years.”  Former PSU President Spanier, Vice President Schultz, and Athletic Director Curley are facing criminal charges for their roles in the Jerry Sandusky sexual assault cover up and felony charges of endangering the welfare of children.  Cate Hannum wrote a letter to President Simon of MSU, and cc’ed, among others, Athletic Director Mark Hollis, and Director of Sports Medicine Jeff Kovan, D.O., asking the following questions:

  • Please tell us all: How did things get this bad?
  • Did Nassar really go under the radar for nearly 2 decades?
  • How?
  • Why has no one from the school contacted my peers or me – his former patients?

She concluded her letter, “secrecy and avoidance of the truth fosters distrust and it degrades any sense of community.”

“Where is the integrity?”  Now over 140 faculty members at MSU penned a letter concerned about allegations, investigations, and legal proceedings associated with former MSU doctor Nassar.  They want to know why no one else other than the Dean of the Osteopathic Medicine Department, William Strampel, and Nassar new about the “restrictions” placed on Nassar.  Why wasn’t the medical staff told?  Why weren’t patients told?  Why weren’t parents of patients who were minors told?  Professor Emeritus Frank Fear, who worked for MSU for 35 years, helped author the letter calling for an independent investigation, not just an internal one.  Meanwhile the federal judge in the Western District of Michigan granted a motion to add 19 more alleged survivors, bringing the total in the civil proceedings to over 50.

One Comment

  1. Gravatar for Robert Alpiner
    Robert Alpiner

    Whatever the result, Dave, MSU is not going to wind up looking good. Either it was negligent in fostering an atmosphere of wrongdoing or it was negligent in not making sure its policies were enforced. Stonewalling outside investigations will not change its culpability.

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