Simone Biles is the latest athlete to say she was sexually abused by former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar.
Biles, who lit up the Rio 2016 Olympics as she won four gold medals, described the abuse in a statement posted on Twitter on Monday.
“Most of you know me as a happy, giggly, and energetic girl,” she wrote. “But lately … I’ve felt a bit broken and the more I try to shut off the voice in my head the louder it screams.
“I am not afraid to tell my story anymore. I too am one of the many survivors that was sexually abused by Larry Nassar. Please believe me when I say it was a lot harder to first speak those words out loud than it is now to put them on paper. There are many reasons that I have been reluctant to share my story, but I know now it is not my fault.”
Nassar, a longtime US women’s gymnastics team physician who has been accused of sexually abusing more than 140 women and girls under the guise of medical treatment, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in a Michigan court last year.
He was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison in a separate case, regarding child abuse images.
Biles filed her Twitter post under the #metoo hashtag, which has been used to raise awareness of sexual harassment and abuse.
“For too long I’ve asked myself, ‘Was I too naive? was it my fault?’ I now know the answer to those questions,” the 20-year-old wrote. “No. No, it was not my fault. No, I will not and should not carry the guilt that belongs to Larry Nassar, USAG, and others.”
USA Gymnastics has come under fire over its handling of sexual abuse cases, in the wake of the Nassar scandal and an Indianapolis Star investigation that revealed the failure to report to authorities many allegations of abuse against coaches and staff at some of more than 3,500 clubs across the US.
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Some of Biles’s USA team-mates have said they were abused by Nassar, including gold medalists Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas.
Maroney filed a lawsuit against USA Gymnastics last month, alleging that officials paid her to sign a confidential financial settlement to remain silent on the abuse.
Biles said she was encouraged to come forward after hearing the stories of her fellow athletes.
“After hearing the brave stories of my friends and other survivors, I know that this horrific experience does not define me,” she wrote.
“I am much more than this. I am unique, smart, talented, motivated, and passionate. I have promised myself that my story will be much greater than this and I promise all of you that I will never give up. I will compete with all of my heart and soul every time I step into the gym.
“I love this sport too much and I have never been a quitter. I won’t let one man, and the others that enabled him, to steal my love and joy.”
Biles is aiming to compete at the next Olympics although she says that her experiences have affected her.
She wrote: “It breaks my heart even more to think that as I work towards my dream of competing in Tokyo 2020, I will have to continually return to the same training facility where I was abused.”
In December, Scott Blackmun, the leader of the US Olympic Committee, expressed his regret over the Nassar allegations. “I am so sorry that the Olympic family failed these athletes,” he wrote in a letter to key figures in the US Olympic movement.
Simone Biles was sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar while training and competing with the US national team.
The five-time medalist at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro shared the news on her social media account, becoming the third member of the Final Five to reveal they were abused by Nassar, following Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas.
'I too am one of the many survivors who was sexually abused by Larry Nassar,' wrote Biles.
This revelation comes just days before Nassar is sent to be sentenced in a Michigan courtroom after entering a guilty plea to to seven counts of molesting girls as young as 10 while working with USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University.
Biles, 20, was the star of the 2016 Games thanks to her haul of four Gold medals in the team and individual all-arounds, vault and floor exercise as well as a bronze on balance beam.
There are now 140 women who have accused Nassar of molesting them when they were under his care.
Coming forward: Simone Biles (above at the 2016 Olympic Games) shared a #MeToo post on her social media accounts revealing that she was sexually assaulted by USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar
Victims: Four women on the past two Olympic teams have now revealed they were molested: Biles, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas (Raisman, Douglas and Biles above in Rio)
'Most of you know me as a happy, giggly and energetic girl. But lately...I've felt a bit broken and the more I try to shut off the voice in my head the louder it screams,' wrote Biles at the beginning of her post.
She then shared that Nassar had also been sexually abusing her while she trained at the national facility in Texas.
'Please believe me when I say it was a lot harder to first speak those words out loud than it is now to put them on paper,' explained Biles.
'There are many reasons that I have been reluctant to share my story, but I now know it is not my fault.'
Three members of each of the past two US Olympic Women's Gymnastics teams have no revealed they were molested by Nassar.
McKayla Maroney was the first to come forward followed by her 2012 London teammates Raisman and Douglas, who also competed in Rio with Biles.
There are now 140 women who have accused Nassar (above in November) of molesting them when they were under his care
It is unclear if any of the young women will be appearing at Nassar's sentencing, with Raisman announcing Monday she will not be in attendance.
'I will not be attending the sentencing because it is too traumatic for me. My impact letter will be read in court in front of Nassar. I support the brave survivors. We are all in this together. #StopAbuse,' wrote Raisman on Twitter.
The hearing for Nassar's sentencing will begin on Tuesday and is expected to last until Friday, with 88 victims set to read letters and impact statements.
'After hearing the brave stories of my friends and other survivors, I know that this horrific experience does not define me,' wrote Biles.
'I am much more than this. I am unique, smart, talented, motivated and passionate.'
She closed out her powerful letter by stating: 'We need to know why this was able to take place for so long and to so many of us. We need to make sure something like this never happens again.'
Biles then asked for privacy while she works through her pain.
SIMONE BILES: I WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY LARRY NASSAR Most of you know me as a happy, giggly, and energetic girl. But lately...I've felt a bit broken and the more I try to shut off the voice in my head the louder it screams. I am not afraid to tell my story anymore. I too am one of the many survivors that was sexually abused by Larry Nassar. Please believe me when I say it was a lot harder to first speak those words out loud than it is now to put them on paper. There are many reasons that I have been reluctant to share my story, but I know now it is not my fault. It is not normal to receive any type of treatment from a trusted team physician and refer to it horrifyingly as the "special" treatment. This behavior is completely unacceptable, disgusting, and abusive, especially coming from someone whom I was TOLD to trust. For too long I've asked myself, "Was I too naive? was it my fault? I now know the answer to those questions. No. No, it was not my fault. No, I will not and should not carry the guilt that belongs to Larry Nassar, USAG, and others. It is impossibly difficult to relive these experiences and it breaks my heart even more to think that as I work towards my dream of competing in Tokyo 2020, I will have to continually return to the same training facility where I was abused. After hearing the brave stories of my friends and other survivors, I know that this horrific experience does not define me. I am much more than this. I am unique, smart, talented, motivated, and passionate. I have promised myself that my story will be much greater than this and I promise all of you that I will never give up. I will compete with all of my heart and soul every time I step into the gym. I love this sport too much and I have never been a quitter. I won't let one man, and the others that enabled him, to steal my love and joy. We need to know why this was able to take place for so long and to many of us. We need to make sure something like this never happens again. As I continue to work through the pain, I kindly ask everyone to respect my privacy. This is a process, and one that I need more time to work through. XO, Simone Biles
'I am so proud of you. You are incredible Simone. I stand with you. I am shaking reading your post. I know we will all get through this together,' wrote Raisman in support of her friend on Monday.
Both Biles and Raisman are training in hopes of returning to the Olympics once more in 2020 when the Games will be held in Tokyo.
Nassar worked with USA Gymnastics until September 2015, when he suddenly announced his retirement despite saying previously that he planned to work through the Rio Olympics.
'After 29 years on the USA Gymnastics Women's Artistic National Team staff, it has come time for me to retire,' wrote Nassar in a lengthy Facebook post.
It would be another year however until he would be asked to step down from his post at Michigan State University, shortly after Rachael Denhollander became the first woman to file a criminal complaint.
Nassar entered a guilty plea to seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Ingham County Circuit Court back in November, acknowledging that he sexually penetrated multiple young women and that they were not old enough to give consent.
He broke down in tears at one point, while his most famous victim voiced her rage at the man who allegedly assaulted her on Twitter.
'Court referring to Larry as DOCTOR Nassar. I AM DISGUSTED. I am very disappointed,' wrote Ali Raisman.
'He does NOT deserve that. Larry is disgusting. Larry is a MONSTER not a doctor.'
Nassar said he hoped his plea would help 'to move the community forward and stop the hurting' before adding: 'I pray the rosary every day for forgiveness'
In his statement he also said: 'I want them to heal. I want this community to heal. I have no animosity toward anyone. I just want healing. It's time.'
Nassar was forced to verbally confess to each offense in court, and agreed to wearing a monitoring device and have his electronic activity monitored for life as port of the plea.
At the end of the hearing, the presiding judge had a few words for Nassar.
'You used that position of trust that you had in the most vile way -- to abuse children,' said Ingham County Judge Rosemarie Aquilina.
'I agree that now is a time of healing, but it might take them a lifetime of healing while you spend your lifetime behind bars thinking about what you did in taking away their childhood.'
Nassar was also sentenced to 60 years behind bars on federal charges after he was found in possession of pornography back in December.
He is appealing that sentence.
(CNN) One by one, the young women will step up in court, just feet away from their abuser. And they will deliver the message that so many have repeated.
Me, too.
On Tuesday, the victims of Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team doctor, will speak out in a Michigan court as part of his criminal sentencing. Nassar pleaded guilty in November to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct and admitted that he used his position as a trusted medical professional to sexually abuse young girls.
But the victim impact statements won't end Tuesday. Several days have been set aside to hear from up to 125 victims or their parents. The Michigan Department of Attorney General spokesperson expects 88 individuals to give victim impact statements in what is likely to be a remarkable reckoning for the largest sexual abuse scandal in the history of sports.
The victim impact statements are expected to be emotional, heartfelt and gut-wrenching tales of the abuse and its lasting effects. But for many victims, the statements may also be cathartic, said Kristen Houser, chief public affairs officer for the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
"You go through all these months of keeping a secret, and then the investigation, and waiting on the court proceedings. That whole system is not at all a victim-centered experience or a system that is sensitive to the emotional toll on victims," Houser said. "This is ... the one opportunity you get to speak your piece in your own words, unedited, and say the truth about the full picture of how these things impacted your life."
#MeToo
The basic facts of Nassar's case serve as an extremely disturbing example of what sparked the #MeToo movement . Scores of women say they were abused by a respected man -- and then pressured into silence by powerful institutions.
Nassar was the team doctor for USA Gymnastics through four Olympic Games, treating hopeful young gymnasts and gold medal winners alike. As the national governing body of gymnastics in America, USA Gymnastics is responsible for selecting the national team and training young, promising athletes.
Nassar also worked at Michigan State University from 1997 to 2016 as an associate professor, and he served as the gymnastics and women's crew team physician. Under the guise of providing medically necessary treatment, Nassar instead abused many of his patients. He admitted in court to putting his finger into the vagina of patients in cases going back as far as 1998 -- including girls under the age of 13.
His victims include several of the most famous and successful Olympic athletes in America. Three members of the "Fierce Five" team of gymnasts that won gold at the 2012 Olympics -- Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney -- have said Nassar abused them.
"It seemed whenever and wherever this man could find the chance, I was 'treated,'" Maroney wrote on Twitter in October . "It happened in London before my team and I won the gold medal, and it happened before I won my silver."
JUST WATCHED Nassar to judge: A match became a forest fire Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Nassar to judge: A match became a forest fire 00:47
Nassar spoke in court in November, saying he wanted "healing."
"For all those involved, I'm so horribly sorry that this was like a match that turned into a forest fire out of control," he said.
"I have no animosity toward anyone. I just want healing. ... We need to move forward in a sense of growth and healing and I pray (for) that."
In response, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina criticized Nassar and praised the women who came forward. "You used that position of trust that you had in the most vile way to abuse children," she said. "I agree that now is a time of healing, but it may take them a lifetime of healing while you spend your lifetime behind bars thinking about what you did in taking away their childhood."
Allegations of a cover-up
Raisman, who said she was first treated by Nassar when she was 15, is one of many victims who have expressed anger at USA Gymnastics , saying the organization enabled Nassar and silenced victims.
"If you did not believe that I & others were abused than (sic) why pressure & manipulate us?" she wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. "WE WERE MOLESTED BY A MONSTER U ENABLED 2 THRIVE FOR DECADES. You are 100% responsible. It was mandatory to get 'treatment' by Nassar."
.@USAGym STOP VICTIM SHAMING. Your statements are hurtful. If you did not believe that I & others were abused than why pressure & manipulate us? WE WERE MOLESTED BY A MONSTER U ENABLED 2 THRIVE FOR DECADES. You are 100% responsible. It was mandatory to get "treatment" by Nassar. — Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) January 10, 2018
Attorney John Manly, who represents 107 victims in civil lawsuits, has argued that Nassar was supported in his abuse by three institutions: USA Gymnastics, the US Olympic Committee and Michigan State University.
Each of those "miserably failed" to protect the children under their care, he said late last year. Manly also accused USA Gymnastics of a "brazen attempt" at a cover-up. The organization has dismissed that claim.
Last week, star collegiate gymnast Maggie Nichols said that she and a coach reported Nassar's abuse to USA Gymnastics officials in 2015.
In its response, USA Gymnastics cited Nichols' "bravery" and said it reported Nassar to the FBI in July 2015 and to a different FBI office in April 2016.
The group said information from Nichols and another athlete "was important, but did not provide reasonable suspicion that sexual abuse had occurred." Following an interview with a third athlete, information from all three young women was given to the FBI, it said.
USA Gymnastics contacted the FBI after an interview with the third athlete in July 2015, the organization said. "We are sorry that any athlete has been harmed during her or his gymnastics career. USA Gymnastics is focused every day on creating a culture of empowerment that encourages our athletes to speak up about abuse and other difficult topics," the statement said.
USA Gymnastics also denied Manly's assertion that the organization tried to keep the investigation secret ahead of the Olympics.
"Contrary to reported accusations, USA Gymnastics never attempted to hide Nassar's misconduct," the group said. "The suggestion by plaintiff's counsel ... that USA Gymnastics tried to silence athletes or keep the investigation secret to avoid headlines before the Rio Olympics and to protect Los Angeles' Olympic bid is entirely baseless," the group said in a statement.
USA Gymnastics did not inform Michigan State University, which continued to employ Nassar, of the allegations, Manly said. It wasn't until August 2016 that Michigan State University Police took a report of alleged assault and opened an investigation into Nassar, the school said
Patrick Fitzgerald, the lead attorney for Michigan State University in these cases, defended MSU in a letter to the Michigan attorney general.
"The evidence will show that no MSU official believed that Nassar committed sexual abuse prior to newspaper reports in the summer of 2016," he wrote, according to the university.
US Olympic Committee spokesperson Mark Jones said, "We were first made aware of the possibility that a USA Gymnastics physician had sexually abused USA Gymnastics athletes in the summer of 2015 when we were informed by USA Gymnastics.
"At that time USA Gymnastics indicated that they were in the process of contacting the appropriate law enforcement agencies. We are heartbroken that this abuse occurred, proud of the brave victims that have come forward and grateful that our criminal justice system has ensured that Nasser will never be able to harm another young woman.
"We are hopeful that with the US Center for SafeSport's continued education and prevention efforts, as well as their investigative and adjudicative authority, we will help ensure that tragedies like this will never happen again."
She was America’s Olympic sweetheart – a bubbly and ferociously talented athlete who brought home four gold medals from Rio, leading many to consider her the country’s greatest ever gymnast.
Yet on Monday Simone Biles, 20, made the bombshell accusation that she too had been sexually abused by former Team USA gymnastics sports doctor Larry Nassar.
Nassar, currently serving a 60-year jail sentence for having child sex abuse images on his computer, will on Tuesday face some of the 140 women who accuse him of abuse, as his sentencing begins in a Michigan courtroom. In what is expected to be a week-long court session, 88 of the women and girls who say Nassar sexually abused them are scheduled to give victim-impact statements.
And on the eve of sentencing, Biles published on Twitter a devastating account of the abuse she suffered, revealing for the first time that she – like her team mate Gabby Douglas, who won gold with Biles in the team event in Rio – was a victim of Nassar.
"I too am one of the many survivors that was sexually abused by Larry Nassar," wrote Biles.
