SafeSport Center announces changes designed to address widespread complaints
The U.S. Center for SafeSport has announced 10 changes to the way it operates in a move it says is designed to increase efficiency and “trauma sensitivity,” while addressing complaints that have come from both victims and the accused.
Olympic law rewrite calls for public funding for SafeSport and federal grassroots sports office
A proposed rewrite of the law governing the Olympics in the United States calls on public funding for the embattled U.S. Center for SafeSport while also forming a new government office to oversee grassroots sports that have long been attached to the Olympics themselves.
Liberty University will pay $14 million, the largest fine ever levied under the federal Clery Act
The U.S. Department of Education says Liberty University has agreed to pay an unprecedented $14 million fine after the large Christian school in Virginia failed to disclose information about crimes on campus.
Prosecutors decry stabbing of ex-officer Derek Chauvin while incarcerated in George Floyd's killing
Minnesota’s attorney general has denounced a prison attack on Derek Chauvin, saying the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd should be able to serve his sentence without fear of violence.
Michigan State fires coach Mel Tucker for bringing ridicule to school, breaching his contract
Michigan State has fired Mel Tucker, saying the suspended football coach failed to present adequate reasons why he should not be fired for cause after having what he described as consensual phone sex with an activist and rape survivor.
Mel Tucker's attorney: Michigan State doesn't have cause to fire suspended coach over phone sex
Mel Tucker’s attorney says Michigan State does not have cause to fire its suspended football coach after Tucker acknowledged having phone sex with an activist and rape survivor because he did not “engage in unprofessional or unethical behavior” or violate his contract.
SafeSport Center 'in potential crisis' according to panel's survey of Olympic system
A wide-ranging survey into the state of the U_S_ Olympic system leveled criticism at the U_S_ Center for SafeSport, with a draft report concluding that feedback collected about the 6-year-old agency “paints a picture of a center in potential crisis.”.
Larry Nassar survivors sue Michigan State over alleged 'secret decisions' on releasing documents
Women who were sexually assaulted by former Michigan State University sports doctor Larry Nassar have filed a lawsuit claiming school officials made “secret decisions” about releasing documents in the case.
Suspect in Larry Nassar stabbing said ex-doctor made lewd remark watching Wimbledon, AP source says
A prisoner suspected of stabbing Larry Nassar at a federal penitentiary in Florida said the disgraced former sports doctor provoked the attack by making a lewd comment while they were watching a Wimbledon tennis match.
FBI open to settling claims by gymnasts abused by Nassar
The FBI has reached out to attorneys representing Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and other women who say they were sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar to begin settlement talks in the $1 billion claim they brought against the federal government.
Justice Dept. bolsters monitoring of federal inmate accounts
The Justice Department is directing the federal prison system implement new procedures to monitor government-run prison deposit accounts that have at times been used by inmates to shield themselves from paying debts and for suspicious or illegal activity.
Texans QB’s sex assault cases highlight concerns amid #MeToo
Lawyers fighting sexual assault allegations against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson face a predicament: Defending their client means working to discredit the claims of 22 women who are more likely to be believed four years into the #MeToo movement.
Michigan attorney general ends campus probe tied to Nassar
(AP Photo/David Eggert, File)LANSING, Mich. – The investigation of Michigan State University's handling of disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar is over because the university has refused to provide thousands of documents related to the scandal, Michigan’s attorney general said Friday. Dana Nessel's announcement came after the university said it would not change its position that the documents are protected by attorney-client privilege. “The university’s refusal to voluntarily provide them closes the last door available to finish our investigation,” Nessel, a Democrat, said. Nassar was a campus doctor who is now serving decades in prison for sexual assault and child pornography crimes. Former gymnastics coach Kathie Klages was convicted of lying to investigators when she said she didn't get complaints about Nassar.
USC agrees to $852 million payout in sex abuse lawsuit
The University of Southern California has agreed to an $852 million settlement with more than 700 women who have accused Tyndall, the college's longtime campus gynecologist, of sexual abuse, officials announced Thursday, March 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)LOS ANGELES – The University of Southern California has agreed to an $852 million settlement with more than 700 women who have accused the college’s longtime campus gynecologist of sexual abuse, the victims’ lawyers and USC announced Thursday. Ad“I am deeply sorry for the pain experienced by these valued members of the USC community," USC President Carol L. Folt said in a statement. Separately, USC earlier agreed to pay $215 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that applies to about 18,000 women who were patients of Tyndall’s. The individual payouts to those victims range from $2,500 to $250,000, and were given regardless of whether the women formally accused Tyndall of harassment or assault.
Olympics gymnastics coach kills himself after being charged
FILE - In this March 3, 2012, file photo, gymnastics coach John Geddert is seen at the American Cup gymnastics meet at Madison Square Garden in New York. Prosecutors in Michigan filed charges Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, against Geddert, a former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar. "This is a tragic end to a tragic story for everyone involved," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. Nessel earlier announced that Geddert was charged with a bushel of crimes, including sexual assault, human trafficking and running a criminal enterprise. On his LinkedIn page, Geddert described himself as the “most decorated women’s gymnastics coach in Michigan gymnastics history.” He said his Twistars teams won 130 club championships.
Viral and vital, college gymnasts finding their voice
The social justice movement in college athletics has popped up in most unusual place: gymnastics. From UCLA to Pittsburgh, Black gymnasts and the programs they represent are using their platform to empower and uplift. Her experience at Arkansas was simply reflective of the culture at large in the sport at the time. From Pittsburgh to California, female gymnasts are using their platform to empower, educate and bring light to causes they believe in. “Personally I would say (gymnastics) is a predominantly white sport,” Ward said.
Pilots say they, too, were molested by Univ. of Michigan doc
Some pilots have emerged as victims of Anderson, a deceased doctor who worked for decades at the University of Michigan. (Robert Kalmbach/Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan via AP, File)DETROIT – A cargo pilot who regularly needed health checkups to keep his license contacted a University of Michigan doctor in 2000. He said Anderson told him to undress, put on a medical gown and get on a table, instead of simply checking the man's vision, hearing and heart. AdSince then, another category of victims has emerged: pilots in southeastern Michigan who needed physicals to get or maintain a license. There was no reason to cover this up.”In 2003, five years before his death, Anderson told the government that he was retiring because a stroke had greatly affected his right hand.
11 podcasts you should be listening to
“Space Curious” was created to inspire everyone -- from those with a mild interest in space exploration to the space fanatics. In season two, you’ll learn about Curtis Flowers, a man who has been tried six times for the same crime. You’ll learn about all of that. Podcasts, by the way, are really easy to access -- even if you’re not very tech-savvy. You can typically go to the podcast’s website (which are all linked above), hit “play” on the episode of your choosing, and it’s as simple as that.
Michigan State University fined record $4.5M in Nassar scandal
(CNN) - Michigan State University has been fined a record $4.5 million in connection to the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said. "What transpired at Michigan State was abhorrent, inexcusable, and a total and complete failure to follow the law and protect students," DeVos said in a statement on Thursday. "Michigan State will now pay for its failures and will be required to make meaningful changes to how it handles Title IX cases moving forward. The fine stems from Michigan State University's "systemic failure to protect students from sexual abuse," the Department of Education said in a release. The record fine came as part of a federal investigation into Michigan State's failure to stop Nassar's decades of child sexual abuse.
'I felt alone,' says gymnast after her perfect 10 went viral
(CNN) - Earlier this year Katelyn Ohashi shot to fame when a video of her perfect 10 floor routine for UCLA gymnastics went viral, amassing over 118 million views online. The Seattle native is regularly stopped in the street by people wanting pictures, but the "perfect 10 girl's" sudden fame has had it downsides. "I feel like, a lot of times, I've felt alone when I was going through all this stuff," Ohashi told CNN Sport's Patrick Snell. After her surgery there was no guarantee Ohashi would be able to participate in gymnastics at all, let alone competitively. Due to the strenuous demands placed on them by gymnastics, Ohashi and some of her fellow gymnasts were driven to eating disorders.
Biles to USA Gymnastics: 'You had one job and you couldn't protect us'
- Four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles spoke to reporters Wednesday about her struggle to continue practicing her sport for an organization that did not protect her -- and many others -- from Larry Nassar's abuse. You literally had one job and you couldn't protect us," she said of USA Gymnastics. Biles spoke to reporters after a training session in Kansas City, Missouri, ahead of the United States Gymnastics Championships. In January, Biles announced on Twitter that she was one of the many athletes sexually abused by the disgraced former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor. "We at USA Gymnastics have made a lot of progress in strengthening our athlete safety measures and putting our athletes first, but we know we have more to do," Li Li Leung, the president and chief executive of USA Gymnastics, told CNN.
Larry Nassar's former boss at MSU gets jail time
(CNN) - A former Michigan State University dean has been sentenced to a year in jail over accusations he harassed female students and failed to properly oversee Larry Nassar, the disgraced associate professor and physician. The sentences, handed down by Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Joyce Draganchuk, are to be served concurrently. The charges against Strampel stemmed from his own actions as dean from 2002 to 2017, as well as his failure to properly oversee Nassar, according to court documents. While he was convicted of some charges in June, he was acquitted of a felony second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge. In Nassar's court cases, scores of his accusers told heart-wrenching stories of his abuse, and several blamed MSU for dismissing their complaints and failing to stop him.
10 podcasts you should be listening to
The sky is the limit these days, when it comes to podcasts. It’s a bit of an accidental history lesson at times, but it’s enlightening, informative and an easy listen. In season two, you'll learn about Curtis Flowers, a man who has been tried six times for the same crime. Podcasts, by the way, are really easy to access -- even if you’re not very tech-savvy. You can typically go to the podcast's website (which are all linked above), hit “play” on the episode of your choosing, and it’s as simple as that.