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Did FBI 'botch' Larry Nassar probe? Athletes claim their reports were 'buried'

Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman testified during a Senate Judiciary hearing about the FBI handling of the Larry Nassar investigation

US Olympic gymnasts Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman testified during a Senate Judiciary hearing about the Inspector General's report on the FBI handling of the investigation of sexual abuse of Olympic gymnasts by the disgraced Olympic doctor Larry Nassar on Wednesday, September 15. The athletes accused the FBI of 'burying their reports' and making sure to 'conceal Larry Nassar's offenses'. "USA Gymnastics in concert with the FBI and the Olympic Committee were working together to conceal that Larry Nassar was a predator, " McKayla Maroney said in her testimony. "What is the point of reporting abuse if our own FBI agents are going to take it upon themselves to bury that report in a drawer?" she further added.

Celebrated Olympic gymnast Simone Biles delivered an emotional testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee and "blamed" the entire system that "enabled" Larry Nassar to sexually abuse her and hundreds of other young women and girls. "To be clear, I blame Larry Nassar and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse." Biles claimed that USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee 'knew that she was being abused by their official team doctor and yet did nothing'. All the athletes, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Maggie Nichols and Simon Biles who testified on Wednesday, were sexually abused by Nassar under the guise of medical treatment while he worked as an athletic doctor.

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Simone Biles bashed the FBI for turning "a blind eye" to the sexual abuse she and other young athletes suffered at the hands of the former Olympic doctor. "It truly feels like the FBI turned a blind eye to us and went out of its way to protect the USA Gymnastics organization and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, " she said. "I don’t want another young gymnast, Olympic athlete or any individual to experience the horror that I and hundreds of others have endured before, during and continuing to this day in the wake of the Larry Nassar abuse, " Simon Biles further added.

Another Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney said that she was "shocked and deeply disappointed" that the FBI not only 'failed to initially report her abuse' , but also 'lied about it'. Describing in graphic detail one episode of abuse when she was alone with Nassar, Maroney said, "Within minutes he had his fingers in my vagina." Maroney also added, "Not only did the FBI not report my abuse, but when they eventually documented my report 17 months later they made entirely false claims about what I said. They chose to lie about what I said and protect a serial child molester than protect not only me but other children. I told them(the FBI) that I woke up totally naked with him(Larry Nassar) on top of me. I told them he molested me right before I won my gold medal. I told the FBI all of this and they chose to falsify my report."

FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that he was "heartsick and furious" after learning of agents' failures in Larry Nassar investigation. "These individuals betrayed the core duty that they have of protecting people. They failed to protect young women and girls from abuse, " he said. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin noted during the hearing Wednesday that the FBI failures in its investigation into Nassar "paint a shocking picture of FBI dereliction of duty and gross incompetence". Larry Nassar was the team doctor for the US women’s gymnastics team for almost two decades. He was accused of sexual abuse by more than 100 women. Larry Nassar was convicted in 2017 on a variety of state and federal charges and is serving sentences that amount to life without parole.

'Shame on FBI'

Social media got flooded with 'angry' tweets slamming FBI for 'failing all the girls molested by Larry Nassar'. One person tweeted, "I’m fighting tears watching these incredibly brave young woman testify that the FBI ignored the abuse of Larry Nassar" Another wrote, "These are our best. Olympic medal gymnasts, railing at the FBI for ignoring their accusations of repeated sexual abuse by Larry Nassar. Abuse that scarred them forever. Surely they should’ve been “believed.” AlyRaisman “the FBI tried to convince me ‘it wasn’t that bad"." One tweet read, "James Comey is a national disgrace. Shame on him and the FBI for failing all the girls molested by Larry Nassar."