In case you have not been closely following the news surrounding the ongoing story of former Michigan State University and Team USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, you can get caught up Sunday night.
Television’s most-watched newsmagazine “60 Minutes” will be airing a piece Sunday night discussing the Nassar saga and show interviews with multiple former USA gymnastic athletes.
Sunday on 60 Minutes, stars from the US women's gymnastics team reveal their story of abuse to @DrLaPook. pic.twitter.com/fELorN0utR
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 18, 2017
Former gymnasts’ attorney believes hundreds of athletes may have been abused going back to the 1996 Olympic Games https://t.co/d05ClnFl9m
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 19, 2017
Nassar is a former physician for both Team USA gymnastics and Michigan State University. He has been accused countless times of sexually assaulting underage female athletes stemming all the way back to the mid- to late-1990’s.
The interviews to be aired on “60 Minutes” will revolve around when Nassar would work on the girls at the National Team Training Center, which is stationed at the Karolyi Ranch in Texas. The facility is a hotbed for young, up-and-coming girls pursuing to become elite gymnasts at the highest level. The former gymnasts being interviewed in the piece discuss how Nassar gave unusual treatments and care, but they often thought little of it because of his high profile and their drive to become the best at their sport.
Nassar had been employed at Michigan State since 1997 up until being fired this past September. He had also been a physician for Team USA Gymnastics for nearly 30 years, most recently in 2015. This past Friday in Ingham County District Court, Nassar stood trial facing three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct of person under the age of 13.
There are multiple lawsuits being filed against Nassar in both federal and state courts by upwards of 40 different women accusing the former doctor of sexually assaulting them. None of the formal charges brought against him stem from his time employed at MSU. Among the charges he is facing include possession of child pornography, assaulting a girl in his home and destruction of evidence.
Former MSU gymnastics head coach Kathie Klages has also come severely under siege during this time as well. Among the lawsuits being filed against Nassar say the alleged victims did report the incidents to multiple positions of authorities – MSU officials, team staffers, police and even Klages. One victim in particular says that Nassar assaulted her during a a youth program in Michigan hosted by the former MSU gymnastics coach back in the 1990’s.
Klages was suspended last Monday with pay by the school, and officially stepped down from her position just 24 hours later. She too is facing multiple lawsuits against her, claiming that Klages confirmed that what Nassar was doing was a perfectly normal and proven medical treatment.
Nassar continues to vehemently deny any accusations against him and is pleading not guilty to the official charges he is facing. The piece will air tonight on “60 Minutes” at 7 p.m. ET on CBS. You can view a timeline of the events involving Nassar going back to July of 2014 here, when he formally announced his retirement from his position with USA Gymnastics.
