Jewish Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman is claiming that John Geddert, who coached the Olympic team she was on, knew about team doctor Larry Nassar sexually abusing girls on the team in 2011.
Raisman told CNN’s Jake Tapper that one of her teammates explicitly explained how Nassar had abused her while they were in the car with Geddert, but Geddert was silent about it.
“I don’t know what he did or didn’t do from there,” Raisman said. “I know he didn’t ask us any questions, but that is just why we need the full, independent investigation to get to the bottom of who knew about this.”
Geddert has previously issued a statement denying that he knew about Nassar’s actions; he was suspended by USA Gymnastics as part of the fallout from the Nassar case. Geddert is also under investigation, but the details of the investigation are still unknown to the public.
“Mr. Geddert only wishes to convey his heart-felt sympathy to all victims of Larry Nassar’s abuse,” Geddert’s attorney Chris Bergstrom, said in a statement. “Any further comments will distract from the victims’ statements at Nassar’s sentencing.”
Nassar was recently sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual assault. Over 150 girls, including Raisman, have alleged that Nassar abused them by using his fingers to penetrate them in their genitalia and anus and also touched their breasts. The victims also claim that Nassar was “visibly sexually aroused” during such treatments.
Until he plead guilty, Nassar’s defense was that his actions were part of necessary medical treatment.
Nassar is already serving a 60 year prison sentence after pleading guilty to child pornography.
Nassar’s former employers – the USA Olympic Committee, USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University –have been accused of ignoring Nassar’s abuse and even pressured Nassar’s victims from speaking out.
