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Who is McKayla Maroney? Gymnast says Larry Nassar lied about her health during 2012 Olympics

The 25-year-old, who won gold at the games, claims that she suffered from a concussion, broken nose and a broken foot at the time

McKayla Maroney, who won a gold and a silver in the 2012 London Olympics, has accused disgraced Team USA  doctor Larry Nassar of lying about her health, forcing her to perform while in pain. In a series of Instagram posts and tweets, the 25-year-old said during the games, she was suffering from a concussion, broken nose, and a broken foot and despite knowing about it, Nassar told her coaches she was fine. She also shared about the alleged abuse she faced as a minor while participating in events.

In an Instagram Story, Maroney told her 1.4 million followers that while practicing during the 2012 London Olympics, she broke her foot because she was jet-lagged and “dizzy as hell.” She alleged that Nassar -- a convicted sex offender who is behind bars for child pornography and sexually assaulting hundreds of young girls including Maroney -- checked her and lied to then-coach Márta Károlyi that it was an old break.

The actress said that she also went for concussion tests repeatedly and kept failing, ultimately passing one. In the video, she said, “Then Márta (Károlyi) yelled at me saying, ‘Why are you being so dramatic? This is an old break.’ It wasn't an old break. It was a fresh break.”

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After the event, Maroney had to undergo “miracle surgery” that fortunately was successful. “From my experience speaking up about abuse is extremely exhausting physically, mentally, and emotionally. From a young age I was taught to work hard, and persevere. Gymnastics taught me to be tough, resilient, and to overcome all obstacles… and If you know me, or have been following me, you probably have picked up that I’m naturally just a positive, bubbly person, who leans more towards optimism, and having faith because that’s what makes me happy,” she said in an Instagram post.

She added, “So calling out abusers, and dwelling on all the dark negative pieces of my past felt extremely wrong for me. I hated the depressing tone my life took on, and how the media portrayed me. I never wanted to be seen as a victim, I just wanted Larry Nassar in jail, and the people who enabled the abuse to be held accountable. I wanted to MOVE ON, and go back to being myself, but I needed to learn the power of my voice, boundaries, and WHEN to be resilient.”

Maroney also took to Twitter, where she called out the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOC) and United States of America Gymnastics (USAG). She shared, “USAG says they’re not responsible for the abuse that happened. Well then who is? I was a minor in Tokyo & in London. We were not allowed to see our parents until after competitions, they were not allowed to stay at our hotel, or speak to us in person. We were in ‘USAG’s care’.”

In the next tweet, she continued, “USAG then points fingers at the USOC for abuse because they manage Olympics, international competitions, and all things Team USA. Tell me why I never spoke to anyone from the USOC until the day I got to London?? and they just gave me rules of things I shouldn’t say or do. USOC was so hands off I didn’t even know I was under their care — Or that the Karolyi camp I trained at every month was an Olympic facility managed by them!!? To me It felt more like a gym in the middle of a forest, with limited food supply, and a doctor molesting me twice a day.”

“So, @USAGym and USOC aka @TeamUSA When I was under “your care” in Tokyo competing for Team USA at 15, and my parents weren’t allowed to stay in my hotel, or see me in person… When I was all alone, naked, with Larry Nassar on top of me for 50min balling. Who’s fault is that? I was told to “Shut the fuck up, and don’t ever say anything like that about Larry Nassar again” by an older teammate I looked up to. That scared the hell out of me, so I listened, and didn’t say anything for a long time. I just suppressed it until it came up again in 2015. @USAGym @TeamUSA Why did I have to walk the hallways of the hotel you booked me at 2am alone, and get locked out of my room because my roomate Sabrina was asleep. I then told my teammates what happened the next day after practice with John Geddart in the car, and got yelled yet,” Maroney added.