Nassar victims reach $380 million settlement with USAG, USOPC

(NEW YORK) — Victims of former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar reached a $380 million settlement with USA Gymnastics, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and their insurers on Monday, a lawyer representing some of the victims said.

This decision brings the total compensation the victims have received to $880 billion following the May 2018 settlement reached with Michigan State University, where Nassar was a former employee.

Lead attorney John Manly in a statement credited the resolution to the courage and tenacity of the survivors, who he said “relived their abuse publicly, in countless media interviews” to prevent others from facing similar abuse.

The settlement also included some nonmonetary provisions, including a restorative justice program that USAG has committed to establishing in collaboration with the victims, giving them influence over the organization’s sexual assault procedures, according to ESPN.

Attorney Rachel Denhollander, the first woman to accuse Nassar, lauded the nonmonetary provisions in a tweet.

“This represents so much hard work from members of the committee and I am eager to see these changes through,” she wrote.

USAG also committed to having at least one survivor in their Board of Directors, Safe Sport Committee and Athlete Health and Wellness Council, among other commitments, a statement from the organization said.

“The Plan of Reorganization that we jointly filed reflects our own accountability to the past and our commitment to the future,” USAG President and CEO Li Li Leung said.

In a statement provided to ABC News, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said she was grateful to have reached a resolution and praised the women who raised their voices against Nassar.

“We have the deepest respect for the tremendous strength and bravery these women have shown. We recognize our role in failing to protect these athletes, and we are sorry for the profound hurt they have endured,” Hirshland said.

Manly said the victims’ fight for justice has not ended with this settlement, as a recent investigation also shed light on the role the FBI played in protecting Nassar.

In September 2021, gymnasts Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols and Aly Raisman testified before the Senate over the alleged failures of the FBI in handling the case against Nassar.

“There is one more chapter yet to be written, the criminal prosecution of the FBI officials who failed to investigate and stop Nassar together with the USAG and USOPC officials who conspired with them to impede the investigation,” Manly said.

“We will continue to pursue justice on behalf of the hundreds of little girls and young women who were molested as a direct result of their obstruction of justice,” he added.

 

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