12 Established 1961 Sports Sunday, January 28, 2018 US board resigning amid sexual abuse scandal Congress moves forward with probe of sex abuse in sports

MICHIGAN: The remaining directors of the US gym- promising to cooperate with investigations into the nastics governing body are resigning in the wake of this matter. Attorney General Bill Schuette, whose week’s sentencing of the former national team doctor office prosecuted Nassar, confirmed on that the for molesting female athletes, USA Gymnastics said on office is investigating the university. U.S. Education Friday, complying with a demand by the US Olympic Secretary Betsy DeVos announced her department was Committee. investigating the university and will “hold MSU The doctor, , was sentenced on accountable for any violations of federal law.” “What Wednesday to between 40 and 175 years in prison by a happened at Michigan State is abhorrent,” DeVos said. judge in Lansing, Michigan, following a week of blister- Nassar, 54, was sentenced for sexually assaulting girls ing statements in court by his victims including Olympic under the guise of medical treatment. gold medal-winning gymnasts and and other female athletes. He had pleaded ‘MORAL AUTHORITY’ guilty to sexual assault Some critics who said charges. the USOC could have USOC CEO Scott caught Nassar sooner if Blackmun on Thursday it had acted on com- said USA Gymnastics Michigan State plaints made by athletes would be stripped of its called the USA standing as a governing University Gymnastics board resig- body if all board mem- nations too little and too bers did not quit, with a athletic late. Several victims dur- new interim board put in ing Nassar’s sentencing LANSING: File photo shows women from the Michigan based victim advocacy groups End Violent Encounters and place by the end of director retires hearing blamed the Firecracker Foundation cheer for women as they leave the courthouse after the sentencing of disgraced doctor Larry February. At least five of USOC, as well, for the Nassar in Ingham County Circuit Court on January 24, 2018 in Lansing, Michigan. — AFP the 21 members already abuse. had resigned as a result “I don’t think they Congress also is investigating the matter. A House of first victim to publicly accuse Nassar in 2016, wrote in of the scandal. have the moral authority Representatives investigation will examine allegations a New York Times opinion piece that anyone who pro- “USA Gymnastics will comply with the USOC to speak at all on this issue,” John Manly, a lawyer who of sexual harassment by officials in other sports, includ- tected Nassar should face consequences. requirements,” Leslie King, a spokeswoman for USA represents 120 of Nassar’s victims including 2012 ing swimming and taekwondo. “The first step toward changing the culture that led Gymnastics, said in an email. The senior sports official at Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney, said of the Raisman, who was among the more than 150 accus- to this atrocity is to hold enablers of abuse account- Michigan State University, where Nassar previously USOC. “In fact, their board ought to resign and Scott ers who recounted their stories in court, vowed to keep able,” Denhollander wrote. The US House Energy and worked, announced his retirement on Friday. The depar- Blackmun ought to resign, too,” Manly added. the pressure on sports organizations to see who else Commerce Committee, in announcing its investigation, ture of Athletic Director Mark Hollis came two days A USOC spokesman declined to comment on calls knew about Nassar’s abuse. Nassar worked for the said sports organizations “must have mechanisms in after university President Lou Anna Simon stepped for that group’s board and Blackmun to resign. USOC federation through four , but the allega- place to ensure complete oversight and prevent such down under pressure. Both said they were unaware of board member Susanne Lyons called the USA tions did not become public until 2016 in an investiga- abuses from occurring.” Nassar’s abuse until it was reported publicly. Gymnastics board resignations “a critical first step” to tive report by the Star. The House next week is due to vote on legislation “Our campus, and beyond, has been attacked by evil, better protect athletes, but more work remained. A “Everyone stood up for him,” Raisman told the ABC passed by the Senate in November that would require an individual who broke trust and so much more,” Hollis USOC investigation into how Nassar was able to abuse program “The View.” “My work, and the army of sur- amateur athletics governing bodies to report sexual- told a news conference, referring to Nassar. victims for years will include looking at whether any vivors, we’re not done yet. We still have to hold these abuse allegations immediately to law enforcement or a “I’m not running away from anything,” Hollis added, USOC officials themselves looked the other way. organizations accountable.” , the child welfare agency. — Reuters

Swiss Feuz the government to order a review of wins downhill S Korea the governing body after the Sochi Olympics in 2014. “I sincerely apolo- gise for the issues regarding the in Garmisch skating chief national skating team ahead of the Winter Olympics,” Kim said in a apologises statement. “We promise there will be GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN: Reigning no repeat of these problems and will downhill world champion Beat Feuz of come up with reform measures and set down an Olympic marker for incidents implement them as soon as possible.” yesterday with a thundering victory in The KSU handed out a lifetime ban Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The 30-year-old to the coach of Shim Suk-hee on Swiss clocked one minute, 55.39 seconds in SEOUL: Korea’s skating union has Thursday after he admitted to physi- the downhill as of apologised for souring the mood ahead cally assaulting the 20-year-old, who and ’s took joint second of February’s Winter Games after a won gold, silver and bronze medals in after they both finished at 0.18 secs back. coach was banned for life for striking a Sochi. Public anger with the KSU grew “I was completely at my limits at the end,” short track athlete and a speed skater when it emerged speed skater Noh said a delighted Feuz following his third GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN: Switzerland’s Beat Feuz poses during the winner ceremony of the almost lost her spot at the Olympics Seon-yeong was told only last week downhill World Cup win this season. With the men’s downhill at the FIS World Cup in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern , due to an administrative error. that she would be unable to compete Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang beginning yesterday. Switzerland’s Beat Feuz won the competition, Austria’s Vicnent Kriechmayr and Italy’s Kim Sang-hang, president of the in the team pursuit in Pyeongchang in two weeks, the Swiss now has a career Dominik Paris placed second. — AFP Korea Skating Union (KSU), said in a because she had not been able to earn total of seven downhill victories, with a fur- statement that it would take steps to a spot in an individual event. ther three in the Super-G, on the World Cup avoid further problems as South Korea The KSU was criticized for failing circuit. nearly a second and he crossed the line in Lenzerheide in Switzerland yesterday. The prepares to host next month’s to give Noh the chance to qualify but was first down the eleventh place. French star led after the first run and held on Olympics in Pyeongchang. it blamed the oversight on miscom- Kandahar course and held the lead until Feuz, Olympic champion, Matthias Mayer of to beat German Viktoria Rebensburg by The incidents sparked a huge munication with the International fifth down the piste, shaved 0.28 seconds off Austria, could only manage eighth. Local 0.07sec with Slovenia’s Mate Hrovat third at backlash in Korea, with almost 200 Skating Union. Noh, who had been his time on the lower section. Norwegian vet- favourite, Germany’s Thomas Dressen, who 1.45s. Worley was registering her 12th overall online petitions calling for the KSU to hoping to win gold to honour her late eran Svindal, 35, eventually finished fourth. celebrated the first downhill win of his career World Cup triumph ahead of the be reformed or disbanded were brother, former short track world Last year’s downhill winner in Garmisch, in Kitzbuhel last weekend, came within 0.53 Pyeongchang Games which get underway on lodged with the presidential Blue champion Jing-kyu, who died of bone Hannes Reichelt of Austria, was 0.12 quicker of Feuz’s time to finish seventh. The racing February 9. US ski star and Olympic champi- House. The KSU has seen more than cancer in 2016, was surprisingly rein- than Feuz’s time at the fourth time check, but continues on Sunday in the Bavarian Alps on Mikaela Shiffrin, came seventh, almost two its fair share of controversy over the stated on Friday after two Russians faded to finish fifth at 0.43. with the men’s giant slalom. seconds off the winner. Shiffrin retained her years, with allegations of favouritism who had qualified were dropped from Likewise, Germany’s Andreas Sander Meanwhile, world champion Tessa Worley massive lead in the overall World Cup stand- and athlete mistreatment prompting the final list.— Reuters charged down the course and was leading tuned up for the Olympic Games with her first ings with Rebensburg now just 32 points until the final turn, but a mistake cost him World Cup success of the season at clear of Worley in the giant slalom. —AFP

people speak up the issue will gain momentum. “When Special Olympics the average person says that and the health centre opens up and doctors treat them (people with intellectual dis- abilities) and schools are open as well as communities to aim to smash them and a job is within reach, once we get to that tip- ping point of the community then we have a chance. And down barriers that is what we are looking for.” ‘UNFAIR AND DEHUMANISING’ : Special Olympics chairman Timothy Shriver Shriver’s organisation holds World Games every two whose organisation celebrates 50 years in 2018 — years, alternating between summer and winter events, dreams of a world in which nobody stands in the way of with the next competition in Abu Dhabi in 2019. The people with intellectual disabilities who want to take part Special Olympics offer more than 30 Olympic-style indi- in sport. vidual and team sports from alpine skiing to volleyball. Shriver, whose mother Shriver describes the amount of prejudice that still founded the Special Olympics, oversees a body that has exists as “astonishing”. “There are doctors who refuse to around five million athletes with intellectual disabilities treat people with intellectual disabilities, healthcare insti- and holds 100,000 events around the world annually. tutions that say to mothers ‘your child is hopeless’, Events to mark this year’s anniversary include a “Global schools who don’t have programmes and companies who Day of Inclusion” at Soldier Field, , which hosted say we won’t hire people like you,” he said. “It is infuriat- the first International Special Olympics Summer Games ing, frustrating, unfair and dehumanising and this is why in July 1968. Timothy Shriver, nephew of assassinated US we exist, to oppose it and overcome it and end it. Until president John F Kennedy, says he hopes ordinary peo- discrimination is ended we will not cease. That is the ple will help turn the tide of prejudice and enable their bottom line.” goal to be achieved. “I think you can roll back prejudice NEWARK: File photo taken on June 15, 2014 shows Tim Shriver, Chairman of The Board of Directors, Special Olympics significantly but not completely,” he told AFP in a phone ‘GOOD WILL WIN’ attends the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games Opening Ceremony at Prudential Center on June 15, 2014 in Newark, interview from his office in Washington DC. Shriver, whose father Sargent is known as the archi- New Jersey. — AFP “The goal is to have unified sports in every school and tect of the “War on Poverty” in the 1960s and in 1972 club round the world. Not most, not some, not a good was running mate to defeated Democrat presidential told him we stand for anyone who has been excluded, is Shriver was a co-producer on the Steven Spielberg number, but all. I would say sports clubs at the moment, candidate George McGovern, is now pushing to reach on the periphery, anyone society has said does not film “Amistad” about an revolt by African slaves on board there are probably perhaps four percent who do. “There the estimated 500,000 refugees with intellectual disabil- belong here,” said Shriver. a Spanish-owned slave ship and he believes there is a is a long way to go but we live in an era when change ities. Special Olympics Europe Eurasia held a forum, “On “Our athletes say ‘come and play with us’. It is our comparison between their leader, (Joseph) Cinque, and can happen quickly and we think in our 50th anniversary the Margins”, in Amsterdam this week to draw attention DNA, we are not experts on refugees, or indeed a lot of his athletes. “The hero is not the people who helped but it can happen.” to the issues facing refugees with intellectual disabilities problematic issues like gender and race but we are the unjustly incarcerated slave,” said Shriver. “He leads Shriver, a teacher by profession, who became chair- attended by various UN bodies. experts on the idea of including people and no one is the rebellion, he leads and inspires the lawyers and chal- man of the Special Olympics in 1996, says when ordinary “When I had the chance to meet with Pope Francis I better at that than our athletes.” lenges the constitution and wins his freedom.— AFP