U.S. gymnasts testify about abuse by Larry Nassar: "We have been failed"

Washington — The nation's most celebrated and decorated gymnasts offered harrowing testimony before senators on Wednesday about the sexual abuse they suffered by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, arguing the failure of institutions like the FBI to immediately investigate allegations of abuse allowed his misconduct to continue unanswered while the number of his victims grew.

Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols and Aly Raisman appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of a two-part hearing on the FBI's mishandling of the investigation into Nassar, who was found to have sexually abused scores of young athletes while working at Michigan State University and with USA Gymnastics. Nichols was the first victim of Nassar's to report his abuse to USA Gymnastics.

"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?" Maroney told the panel. "They had legal, legitimate evidence of child abuse, and did nothing."