Former U.S. Olympic gymnastics coach John Geddert knew about sexual abuse by team doctor Larry Nassar as far back as 2011 but did nothing about it, gold medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman has claimed.
In an interview with CNN, Raisman, one of over 260 women who have reported being molested by Nassar, said Geddert’s inaction was a symptom of the American gymnastics establishment’s apathy in the face of clear signs Nassar was abusing the girls he was supposed to be caring for.
“We would talk about it amongst ourselves,” Raisman told CNN. “And one of my teammates described in graphic detail what Nassar had done to her the night before. And John Geddert was in the car with us and he just didn’t say anything.”
READ MORE: U.S. gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar given 40 to 125 more years in prison
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Nassar has been sentenced to a grand total of 140 to 360 years in prison on sexual assault and child pornography charges. He was first sentenced to 60 years in a federal prison on child pornography charges in July, before being slapped with 40 to 175 years in a Michigan state prison for sexually assaulting minors.
On Monday, he received an additional 40 to 125 years imprisonment.
During victim testimonies in court, many of the women who confronted Nassar, including Raisman, also took U.S.A. Gymnastics to task for turning a blind eye to his misconduct.
WATCH: Victims statements impact Larry Nassar to his ‘inner-most core’
On Wednesday, a group of U.S. senators put forward a resolution calling for a special committee to investigate whether U.S.A. Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee were complicit in criminal or negligent behaviour of their employees, and to find ways to improve protections for young athletes.
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Earlier this week, the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan said Geddert was facing a criminal investigation over allegations of physical abuse. He was previously accused of physically assaulting a gymnast and a parent, but wasn’t charged.
— With files from the Associated Press
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