Gymnast Aly Raisman files suits in Nassar aftermath

Gymnast and six-time Olympic medalist Aly Raisman filed two lawsuits on Wednesday against the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and USA Gymnastics claiming negligence in their handling of abuse allegations against former national team doctor Larry Nassar. Raisman, 23, was the captain of the U.S. Olympic teams in 2012 and 2016. She said she was abused by Nassar multiple times, starting in 2010. The lawsuits, filed in California, contend the USOC and USA Gymnastics broke their stated mandates to protect children by not revealing Nassar’s past misconduct to athletes and their parents. Nassar is named as a co-defendant in the suits. “I refuse to wait any longer for these organizations to do the right thing,” Raisman said in a statement. “It is my hope that the legal process will hold them accountable and enable the change that is so desperately needed.”

Editor’s note: See Jamie Dean’s profile of former gymnast Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to go public with sexual assault allegations against Larry Nassar, in the latest issue of WORLD Magazine.