e 182 Wesingtn She300 indoapls 4256 Pindar sin P dingarver usagymorg USA GYMNASTICS. ‘BEGIN HERE, 6O ANYWHERE. Feb, 8, 2017 ‘Statement to 60 Minutes Attributed to USA Gymnastics “USA Gymnastics cares deeply for our athletes of all skill levels and ages. They are the heart and soul of our program and their health and well-being comes before all else. We believe one instance of child abuse whether at a school, church or gym — is too many and we are saddened when any child has been harmed during his or her athletic career. We work every day to help young people fulfill their potential in a safe environment and keeping them safe requires as much diligence and attention as training for competition “Regarding Dr. Larry Nassar, USA Gymnastics is appalled that anyone would exploit a young athlete or child in this manner. We are grateful to the athletes who expressed concerns to us, USA Gymnastics first learned of an athlete's concern about Dr. Nassar in June 2015 and after a brief review, including several athlete interviews, reported him to the FBI and relieved him of any further assignments. During the course of the FBI investigation, USA Gymnastics cooperated fully including facilitating interviews and adhering to the request not to take action that would interfere with the Bureau's investigation. “Keeping athletes safe requires sustained vigilance by everyone — coaches, athletes, parents, administrators and officials ~ and there is more work to be done, We are determined to strengthen standards throughout the sport. “USA Gymnastics has engaged Deborah J. Daniels, a former federal prosecutor, to conduct a comprehensive independent review of USA Gymnastics’ bylaws, policies, procedures and practices related to these issues. She is expected to make her recommendations to the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors in the second quarter of 2017 “The USA Gymnastics Board of Directors has also established a Policy Review Panel to address modifications to our existing programs, policies and processes. This panel complements Daniels’ independent review and will work closely with USA Gymnastics staff to ensure the organization takes the appropriate steps to fully implement recommendations, policy changes and governance matters while moving forward with refining its practices. This is especially important given the emerging U.S. Center for Safe Sport and its requirements for compliance. “USA Gymnastics has been actively involved in the development of the U.S. Center for Safe Sport, an independent agency established by the U.S, Olympic Committee to oversee Safe Sport in the USA, similar to how the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency oversees anti-doping in our country. We are hopeful that this new agency, which is expected to open by early March 2017, will provide important leadership on Safe Sport and support for the entire U.S. Olympic movement. “Nothing is more important to USA Gymnastics than protecting young people. Their health and well- being is our priority, and USA Gymnastics is committed to doing everything we can to promote a safe environment for athletes.” 6 ee 4Written responses to “60 Minutes” questions 1) Does USA Gymnastics have any reason to doubt the accounts of former elite gymnasts Jamie Dantzscher, Jeanette Antolin, and Jessica Howard that Dr. Nassar digitally penetrated their vaginas in the course of what they thought at the time was “treatment” for back pain? 2) The women say they were often alone with Dr. Nassar. In other cases, a roommate was present but no other adult. This was true at the Karolyi ranch and also in hotel rooms at competitions all over the world. a) Does USA Gymnastics question the veracity of their accounts about being alone with Dr. Nassar? b) Ifnat, then how do you explain this? Why was Dr. Nassar able to be alone with the athletes so frequently? Wasn't it USA Gymnastics’ long-standing policy that adults should not be alone with athletes? USA Gymnastics cares deeply for its athletes. We learned for the first time in June 2015 about an athlete's concern regarding Dr. Nassar's therapy. USA Gymnastics immediately hired an investigator to review the matter. After obtaining the results of the investigator's review in July 2015, USA Gymnastics immediately reported the allegations to the FBI, supplied the FBI with all of the information it had acquired during its review, and promptly relieved Dr. Nassar from any further assignments. USA Gymnastics is grateful to the athletes who came forward when they did. Given pending litigation, we will not comment further, other than to say that USA Gymnastics was not aware that athletes were alone with Dr. Nassar in any setting Regarding interaction between adults and minor children, guidance from USA Gymnastics has been included in various materials since 1988. Since 1999, language has been included in the national team materials, which are distributed to all members of the U.S. National Team and their coaches along with national team personnel. The USA Gymnastics Participant Welfare Policy was first established in 2009 and most recently updated in 2012. Individual members are informed of the USA Gymnastics Participant Welfare Policy during their annual membership renewal and/or upon receipt of their yearly membership card. USA Gymnastics membership expires annually on July 31. USA Gymnastics policy concerning interaction between adults and minor children is clearly stated in its Participant Welfare Policy, which can be found here. Beginning in 2012, information regarding athlete interaction and supervision has also been provided to athlete parents through the “We Care” educational initiative, and to clubs through the “Clubs Care” campaign, including the 2015 Quick Reference Guide that includes standards of behavior outlined above and a template for Safe Environment/Athlete Protection Policy for clubs. 3) The women allege that there was an atmosphere of verbal and emotional abuse that was part of their elite training at the Karolyi ranch and elsewhere — screaming, derogatory remarks about their bodies, their weight, and their work ethic. They say this environment made it easy for Dr. Nassar to prey on them by lending a sympathetic ear and eaming their trust. And theysay that they were afraid to speak out about the emotional and verbal abuse because speaking out could mean losing one's spot on the Olympic team. Any response? USA Gymnastics has worked to provide a healthy and productive training environment for the national team and promotes a healthy and safe training environment for national team training camps. Throughout this timeframe, numerous athletes and coaches have been involved in the program Every effort has been made to support their development and help them achieve their goals. Please see the following statement from 2000 Olympic bronze-medalist Tasha Schwikert that reflects on her experience in the same timeframe. Statement from Tasha Schwikert 2000 Olympic Bronze medalist; 2004 Olympic Team alternate; 2003 World Championships team captain and gold medalist; 2001 World team bronze medalist “The allegations and accusations portrayed in the recent lawsuits do not reflect my experience as a member of the U.S. Gymnastics National Team. From 1999-2004, | was involved in every national team training camp and felt very comfortable with the environment and the resources provided to the athletes. In no way, shape or form did | experience any form of abuse.” Given the years of involvement of these particular athletes, it should be noted that the semi- centralized training system for the women's national team did not begin until after the 1999 World Championships. 4) The women and their attomey have alleged that USA Gymnastics cared more about money, medals, and its reputation, than the athletes. What is your response to this? This is simply false. USA Gymnastics cares deeply for our athletes at all skill levels and ages. They are the heart and soul of our program, and their health and well-being comes before all else. We work every day to help young people fulfill their potential in a safe environment. 5) a) Was USA Gymnastics aware that Dr. Nassar's treatment for back pain and hip misalignment was to insert his ungloved hand into athletes’ vaginas? No, we were not. ») Does USA Gymnastics believe there was any legitimate medical reason for him to do this to treat back pain? USA Gymnastics finds the allegations against Dr. Nassar deeply disturbing. When USA Gymnastics learned of the concerns, we contacted the FBI because we believe that law enforcement is best equipped to address the allegations, especially questions about the legitimacy of medical treatments. Itis appalling that anyone would exploit a young athlete or child, and we are grateful to the athletes who brought their concerns to USA Gymnastics in 2016.c) Was consent obtained from the athletes' parents before this procedure was performed on the athletes? Athletes and their parents/guardians sign forms that provide consent to treat with respect to meeting the medical needs and requirements of athletes. d) Did Dr. Nassar keep any medical records of the treatments he performed on national team athletes? If so, was anybody supervising his work and reviewing his charts? Typically, medical records would be maintained by an athlete's treating physicians and her or his medical provider. It is our understanding that Dr. Nassar worked closely with the personal physicians of athletes. 6) Over the course of our reporting, we have been told (repeatedly) that some members of the current national team and the teams that represented the U.S. in the London and Rio Olympic games have complained about being sexually abused by Dr. Nassar? Do you deny this? The first time USA Gymnastics leamed of any athlete's concern about Dr. Nassar was in June 2015. USA Gymnastics respects the privacy of those involved in this matter, and worked closely with those who came forward to understand their concerns, which were reported directly to the FBI. USA Gymnastics has cooperated with the FBI to facilitate interviews but is unaware of everyone with whom the FBI has spoken and to what extent they reported any concerns about Dr. Nassar. 7) a) Did USA Gymnastics receive any wamings or complaints about Dr. Nassar prior to the complaint dated mid-June 2015 that was received by Rhonda Faehn? No. The first time USA Gymnastics learned of any athlete's concern about Dr. Nassar was in June 2015. ) Ifnot, why did Dr. Nassar announce his retirement as National Team Medical Coordinator back in 2014, and why, before you relieved him of his duties entirely, did he announce that he wouldn't be travelling with the national team after the summer Olympics in 2016? These announcements suggest some separation plan was already in the works. We cannot and will not speak for Dr. Nassar. On August 11, 2014, USA Gymnastics made an administrative announcement that appointed David Kruse as athlete care coordinator, and is in no way connected to the allegations against Dr. Nassar which did not come forward until nearly a year later. Dr. Nassar continued to serve as the medical professional of the U.S. Women's National Team When we first learned of an athlete's concern in June 2015, USA Gymnastics hired a professional investigator to interview her and then others. In July 2015, USA Gymnastics legal counsel notified Dr. Nassar that USA Gymnastics had learned of athlete concerns regarding some of his procedures and that he was relieved of future assignments while the review was ongoing. On July 29, 2015, following the FB! meeting, USA Gymnastics’ legal counsel advised Nassar that he would not attend USA Gymnastics activities, 4We understand that Dr. Nassar shared his plans to retire after the 2016 Olympic Games prior to June 2015 with some people in the sport 8) a) When USA Gymnastics became aware of the complaint about Dr. Nassar in June 2015, did it inform its member gyms or Michigan State University (MSU) where USA Gymnastics knew he was employed and treated other athletes, including minors? If not, why? ) Did the FBI specifically instruct you not to tell member gyms or MSU about the reasons Dr. Nassar was being relieved of his duties? USA Gymnastics understood from its meeting with the FBI that it should not take any action nor communicate anything that might interfere with the FBI's investigation. USA Gymnastics believed that any further actions that should be taken would be done by the FBI. USA Gymnastics removed Dr. Nassar from any further involvement in its activities. ¢) After you relieved Dr. Nassar of his duties, he announced that he was “retiring” from USA Gymnastics. Why did you not dispute his announcement if it was not true? USA Gymnastics’ goal was and has always been to support the FBI's investigation and to not do anything to interfere with it. After reporting our concerns to the FBI, USA Gymnastics removed Dr. Nassar from any further duties and adhered to the Bureau's request not to take any action or communicate in any way that might interfere with the investigation With respect to Dr. Nassar's announcement, USA Gymnastics took definitive action to remove him from our activities, and did not have control of how he characterized his disassociation. 9) Did MSU provide USA Gymnastics with any information about the complaints it had received over the years regarding Dr. Nassar? No. Michigan State University did not provide USA Gymnastics with any information about the complaints that we are now hearing it had received over the years. 10) The gymnasts we've spoken to describe an intense focus/monitoring of their weight by USA gymnastics coaches. This included limited access to food at national training camps, including their bags being searched for food when they arrived at the Karolyi ranch. Do you have any response to this? USA Gymnastics emphasizes a healthy environment at the national team camps and provided appropriate meals to the athletes. They have been allowed to serve themselves at the camps and during competitions 11) Tho women we interviewed told us that while they were at the Karolyi ranch for national training camps, the adults would go to the Karolyi home in the evenings, presumably to drink and play cards, and Dr. Nassar would then visit the girls in their bedrooms alone and give them their “treatments.” Do you have any comment on this? Regarding this allegation about Dr. Nassar, USA Gymnastics had no knowledge of this. The first time USA Gymnastics learned of a concern about Dr. Nassar was June 2015. We are troubledthat this occurred based on what we are learning, and appalled that any physician would exploit his patients in the manner that is alleged In the evenings during training camps, athletes and coaches engaged in a number of social activities, ranging from watching TV, to catching up on school/work-related items or playing cards, The Karolyi's would invite adults into their home on occasion in the evenings 12) Jessica Howard, a former athlete representative on the USA Gymnastics Board, described a board meeting in which the issue of sexual abuse was raised during a review of legal cases. She says that Steve Penny said that "he wasn't going to ruin the reputation of a coach based on the accusation of an athlete". His response? Please attribute the following response to Paul Parilla, Chairman, USA Gymnastics Board of Directors. “| believe that | attended every meeting during Jessica Howard's association with the board. | strongly dispute this claim. Steve Penny is among the strongest advocates for our athletes and Steve has reported suspected instances of abuse to law enforcement himself. He takes athlete safety seriously and over the course of his tenure as CEO, has strengthened USA Gymnastics policies and programs to further protect the health and wellbeing of athletes.” Please refer to Mr. Parilla's full statement in a separate document for additional context. Please attribute to Steve Penny, CEO, USA Gymnastics “I have great regard for Jessica and have always lent my support to her when requested. Jessica played an active role in supporting enhancements to our bylaws and policies on abuse-related matters. Throughout my tenure as CEO of USA Gymnastics, | have tried through words and actions to demonstrate how important it is to address these issues appropriately. | do not recall making such a comment, nor do | recall Jessica ever expressing any concern to me about such a comment.” 13) We've been told that a few days after USA Gymnastics first became aware of a complaint of sexual abuse by a U.S. National Team member in June 2015, Steve Penny called the mother of ‘one of the gymnasts who complained and instructed her not to tell anyone--including the police about the abuse. This message was reiterated in several follow up conversations in 2015. His response? To the contrary, after USA Gymnastics reported concerns about Dr. Nassar to the FBI, Mr. Penny contacted impacted families to alert them to that fact and helped facilitate interviews between the Bureau and athletes. USA Gymnastics sought to address the report in a manner that respected the confidentiality and privacy of the athletes involved. 14) a) You've told us that USA Gymnastics first received a complaint about Dr. Nassar in June 2015. When did you contact the FBI?USA Gymnastics contacted the FBI on July 27 to report the concerns, and its representatives met face-to-face with FBI agents the following day, July 28, When reporting these concerns to the FBI on July 28, USA Gymnastics provided the FBI with contact information for the athletes and their families. USA Gymnastics offered to assist the FBI with any necessary support, including facilitating interviews, and notified families that we had contacted law enforcement. USA Gymnastics helped to coordinate some of their communication with the FBI, but we do not know the details of everyone the FBI has contacted and when they did so. b) We have been told that the FBI did not contact the athletes who complained until a year after you've said you contacted the FBI. How do you explain that? After our initial report to the FBI in July 2015, USA Gymnastics remained in contact with the FBI office in Indianapolis. USA Gymnastics understands that the FBI did contact one or more athletes soon thereafter and does not believe that a year passed before the FBI contacted any athlete. We later learned in 2015, that the matter had been transferred to another jurisdiction. USA Gymnastics is not aware of the internal communications structure of the FBI and its satellite offices. As time passed, USA Gymnastics became concerned that we had not received any updates about the investigation, nor been contacted for further information. Paul Parilla, who lives in Southern California, contacted the FBI again - this time reaching out to the FBI's LA Bureau in April 2016. Paul Parilla and Steve Penny then met with two agents with the Los Angeles bureau in early May. USA Gymnastics continued its cooperation with the FBI following this meeting. 15) We have been told that under Texas and Indiana law, USA Gymnastics had a duty to report any information about the sexual abuse of a minor to local authorities within 48 hours. Is this true? If so, did you report the June 2015 incident to local authorities in Texas or Indiana - either the police or child protective services? If not, why not? When USA Gymnastics first learned of an athlete's concern, USA Gymnastics promptly contacted the parent of the athlete who had first expressed concerns and arranged for an investigator to follow-up on the matter, which is our standard practice. Given the information provided to the investigator, it was determined necessary to conduct additional athlete interviews. Upon receiving the investigator's final report on Friday, July 24, USA Gymnastics determined the report should be made to the FBI because of its interstate jurisdiction and immediately contacted the Indianapolis office on Monday, July 27. The FBI assured us on July 28 that it was the appropriate agency for making the report and that we were handling the matter correctly. 16) Why did you have your own investigator interview the athletes who complained before handing the matter over to the appropriate authorities? The question suggests that it was somehow improper for USA Gymnastics to retain an investigator to understand the factual allegations before contacting law enforcement. We believe the premise of the question is erroneous. USA Gymnastics hires professional investigators so that it can collect the factual allegations and report them in a responsible manner. In June 2015, an athlete's coach brought a concern forward to Rhonda Faehn, who contacted Steve Penny. Upon hearing of this information, USA Gymnastics hired an investigator to research the issue and after a brief series of interviews, the issue was promptly 7reported to the FBI. The FBI has assured USA Gymnastics that it handled this matter appropriately. On July 29, 2015, following our FBI meeting, USA Gymnastics’ legal counsel advised Nassar that he would not attend USA Gymnastics activities.