Washington Post Reports on How Little Has Changed at USA Gymnastics, Years after the Larry Nassar Scandals. You Can Substitute ‘USA Swimming’ for ‘USA Gymnastics’

by Irvin Muchnick

“USA Gymnastics, the sport’s powerful governing organization, cleaned house and vowed to remake the sport [after the exposure of the widespread sexual abuses of national team doctor Larry Nassar]. The U.S. Center for SafeSport, an independent body set up by Congress in the wake of the scandal to investigate misconduct across Olympic sports, promised an era of accountability…. But gymnasts’ allegations of physical and emotional abuse in their clubs have been met largely with inaction …”

So the Washington Post states, accurately, in a report today, which can be viewed at https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2024/07/23/gymnastics-abuse-safe-sport/.

Though this is not a contest for worst national sport governing body, simple math tells you that the problem of youth coach sexual abuse has actually — and inevitably will always be — far greater, in terms of sheer volume, at USA Swimming, where up to half a million kids participate in before- and after-school practices and in far-flung year-round meets.

UNDERWATER: The Greed-Soaked Tale of Sexual Abuse in USA Swimming and Around the Globe will be published shortly after the Paris Olympics by ECW Press (distributed by Simon & Schuster). Pre-order links from many outlets are here.

Details of bookstore events will be announced shortly.