FBI, Federation And Olympic Committee Condemns Coach's Sexual Harassment, Biles: We're Suffering Because Nobody Acted

Simone Biles (Instagram @simonebile)

JAKARTA - US gymnasts Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Maggie Nichols criticized the US gymnastics federation, the US Olympic Committee and the FBI while testifying before the Senate on Wednesday for failing to act on reports of sexual harassment by former US gymnastics team doctor Larry. Nassar.

"We have been let down and we deserve an answer," said 24-year-old Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist and the most accomplished gymnast in world championship history.

While condemning the FBI's inaction, the gymnasts hurled harsh words at the leadership of the US gymnastics federation (USA Gymnastics) and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).

"We suffered and continue to suffer because no one at the FBI, USAG or USOPC did what was necessary to protect us," Biles said.

Maroney, who won the team gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, said he had reported abuse by Nassar to the FBI in 2015.

"They let a child molester go free for over a year," 25-year-old Maroney told the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"They had legal and legitimate evidence of child abuse and did nothing about it."

Nassar, 58, is serving a life sentence after pleading guilty in late 2017 and early 2018 to sexually assaulting women and girls while working as a sports medicine specialist at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University (MSU).

Hundreds of women -- including Olympic athletes, gymnasts and college athletes -- have accused Nassar of sexually abusing them during his more than two-decade career.

Biles, Maroney, Raisman and Nichols were invited to testify before a Senate committee regarding "the FBI's dereliction of duty in the Nassar case."

Nichols, who won a gold medal at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, said he reported Nassar's abuse to the leadership of the US gymnastics federation in 2015.

"I am haunted by the fact that even after I reported my abuse, so many women and girls had to suffer at the hands of Larry Nassar," Nichols said.

"The US Gymnastics Federation and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee have all betrayed me and those who were abused by Larry Nassar," said 24-year-old Nichols.

FBI Director Christopher Wray and Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz are scheduled to testify before a Senate panel Wednesday in separate sessions.

The Justice Department wrote a damning report published in July discussing the FBI's handling of the allegations against Nassar.

It found that despite the "very serious nature of the allegations," senior officials at the FBI's Indianapolis branch failed to take it "seriously."

The US gymnastics federation reported Nassar to the FBI in July 2015, but Nassar was still seeing patients at MSU until a newspaper revealed it in September 2016.