Simone Biles of USA after competing on the vault during the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s Team Final at the Rio Olympics, Aug. 9, 2016.
Mike Blake/REUTERS
NEW YORK — Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has come forward to accuse former Dr. Larry Nassar of molesting her while he worked as a physician for USA Gymnastics. Biles, who won four gold medals at the 2016 Olympic games, wrote on Twitter Monday afternoon that she was among those who were victims of Nasser’s abuse.
“I too am one of the many survivors that was sexually abused by Larry Nassar,” Biles wrote. “Please believe me when I say it was a lot harder to first speak those words out loud than it is now to put them on paper.”
Nassar pleaded guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct in November and faces decades behind bars. More than 125 women and girls have filed lawsuits against Nasser claiming he molested them during treatment sessions.
In her statement Monday, Biles said she was “reluctant to share” her story for several reasons but had come to realize the abuse was not her fault.
“After hearing the brave stories of my friends and other survivors, I know that this horrific experience does not define me,” she continued. “I am much more than this. I have promised myself that my story will be much greater than this and I promise all of you that I will never give up. I will compete with all of my heart and soul every time I step into the gym.”
Nassar, 54, worked as a team doctor at Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, the Indianapolis-based group that trains Olympians.
Olympians Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas have also said they were molested by Nassar accompanied them at workouts or international events.
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