Finding some connection with Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal, two U.S. senators have advised U.S. Olympic Committee chief executive Scott Blackmun to resign. This report came to the limelight on Friday immediately after the senators ordered the same.
On Friday, a joint statement was released by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and in that statement, they mentioned their point and ordered Blackmun to step down. The reason behind this is, on Thursday it was reported that Blackmun was informed in July 2015 by then-USA Gymnastics chief executive Steve Penny of sexual assault allegations against Nassar, the USA women’s gymnast team. Shortly before Nassar arrested by the FBI Penny contacted Blackmun.
Talking about the timeline, the timeline has been established since December. This is the time when the USOC acknowledged a lawsuit includes sexual abuse allegation against Nassar in 2015. Then the USA Gymnastics reported Nassar to the FBI. Reacting to this, Shaheen and Ernst termed this whole incident as deeply disturbing.
In the joint statement the senators stated: “If these reports are true, this goes far beyond negligence and raises serious questions of culpability at USOC, in which the most appropriate action would be for Scott Blackmun to resign.”
Friday, USOC spokesperson stated “We have consistently said we learned in 2015 of a doctor potentially having abused an athlete and that it was reported to the FBI. That’s what is supposed to happen.”
It may be noted that in late 2017 around 160 girls and women brought the allegation of sexual assault against Nassar and he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of sexual assault in Michigan. In January, after finding him guilty, Nassar has been sentenced to serve 40 to 175 years in prison. The judge heard all the comments of victims. An independent inquiry, in this case, was first demanded by Shaheen and Ernst.
