Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and other champion gymnasts testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday regarding years of sexual abuse by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
Biles told the panel that it felt as though the “FBI turned a blind eye” to the gymnasts and “went out of its way to help protect” the organizations that enabled the abuse, Just the News reports.
“A message needs to be sent: If you allow a predator to harm children, the consequences will be swift and severe,” she said.
Indeed, the Senate committee called for a hearing following a report by the Office of the Inspector General in July, which detailed significant errors by FBI personnel in the investigation of Nassar. Allegations against the doctor were first brought forward during the summer of 2015.
Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney shared graphic details about the abuse.
“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?,” she asked.
One of the FBI agents involved in the bungled report and investigation, Michael Langeman, was reportedly fired earlier this week.
