International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Monday addressed the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal for the first time, saying he supports the U.S. Olympic Committee-funded investigation now underway but also denying the IOC holds any responsibility for Larry Nassar working at past Games.
IOC President Thomas Bach addresses the media at the Pyeongchang Games.Getty Images
“The IOC executive board is deeply shocked and saddened by the abuse scandal in the U.S. Gymnastics Federation,” Bach said in a statement. “It expressed its moral support for the victims and applauded the courage of the victims who gave testimony. It took note of the ongoing independent investigation and hopes that this will also give clarity to the responsibilities of the different parties.”
In response to a question about Nassar’s Olympic attendance as team doctor in 1996, 2000, 2008 and 2012, Bach said: “This is first of all a question you have to ask to the USOC. The IOC is not nominating the members of the U.S. Olympic team. This is the prerogative of the National Olympic Committee.”
The USOC declined to comment.
Prior to each Olympics, each sport’s national governing body gives a list of support personnel, including doctors. If they pass a background check and have medical credentials that transfer to the host country, the USOC accredits them.
For the second time, the IOC will have a designated “safeguarding officer” at the Pyeongchang Games, a program that started two years ago in Rio in response to athlete abuse concerns. IOC medical programs manager Susan Greinig will handle the role. Greinig will be in charge of accepting reports of abuse or harassment from athletes, then confidentially handling those complaints with local law enforcement and “relevant disciplinary channels.”
Even though the Russian doping scandal has dominated pre-Pyeongchang headlines, IOC members said the Nassar trial and the resulting USAG/USOC fallout also has been top of mind.
“I thought dealing with Russia was a complicated subject until you brought that up,” said WADA President Craig Reedie. “I’m certainly aware of it, because in my country, issues like that are front page news daily.”
It is not clear whether it will be discussed further during the full IOC meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday. U.S. IOC member Angela Ruggiero said while the organization did not accredit Nassar, it must think about how it can influence sports culture to stop abuse.
“At the end of the day, we should be not just having a hotline, but (asking) what are the ways we create solid pathways for athletes to come forward?,” she said. “And why did they feel like they couldn’t? There has to be a culture of sports that supports athletes where they don’t feel like their spot is on the line if they raise their voice.”
