Simone Biles is the most famous gymnast in the world, and as such, her voice carries power in a way that many less-acclaimed athletes can’t match. So, when Biles criticizes the latest USA Gymnastics for their latest settlement proposal following the sexual abuse scandal surrounding Larry Nassar, people listen.
After USAG proposed a $215 million settlement that would also serve to release a handful of high-profile officials from liability in the scandal, Biles took to her Twitter account to blast the plan, saying it was giving her anxiety to think about:
And don’t THEY also want to know HOW everything was allowed to happen and WHO let it happen so it NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN? Shouldn’t people be held accountable? Who do I ask??? I’m torn at this point….
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) February 29, 2020
As reported by The Washington Post, USAG released a statement in response to Biles’ tweets, saying they are “deeply committed” to preventing further abuse in the future:
We have fully cooperated with all investigative bodies, including by producing information that they have requested. Investigations have been led by Ropes & Gray [an independent law firm], several congressional committees, the Indiana Attorney General, and Walker County, Texas; and we will continue to cooperate. We are deeply committed to learning from these investigations, and finding ways to prevent abuse in the future. At the same time, we must respect the confidentiality and integrity of the mediation and SafeSport processes. We would welcome the opportunity to continue mediation and discussing how to best resolve the survivors’ claims.
USAG’s settlement proposals have been criticized since its first response in late January, with particular scorn aimed at the planned “four-tier compensation victim” that would award different amounts of money to athletes based on when and where they were abused. As described by The Washington Post, “It ranged from $1.25 million (for gymnasts abused at the Olympics, world championships or national training camps and competitions) to $82,550.”
Biles is not the only high-profile gymnast to raise concerns about this latest settlement proposal; fellow Olympian Aly Raisman also took to Twitter to blast the plan, going as far as tagging USAG and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and telling them to “STOP COVERING UP” the scandal.
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