FBI Held Accountable For Failed Investigation

“Enough is enough. Today, I ask you all to hear my voice. I ask you, please, do all that is in your power to ensure that these individuals are held responsible and accountable for ignoring my initial report, for lying about my initial report and for covering up for a child molester.”

McKayla Maroney, Senate Hearing

In September of 2021, four Olympic-champion gymnasts testified in front of the U.S. Senate to hold USA Gymnastics and the Federal Bureau of Investigation responsible for their botched handling of the sexual abuse going on within the USA Gymnastics institution. Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, and Maggie Nichols each spoke about their experience with the FBI. How they mishandled the case, falsified statements, and allowed the abuse to continue.  Due to Biles, Raisman, Maroney, and Nichols’ testimonies, Senate introduced the Respect for Child Survivors Act, which would require the FBI to require trauma-informed experts to be a part of any interview of a victim who reports child abuse or trafficking to the FBI. The

“It takes tremendous courage for young victims of sexual assault to tell their story and overcome the fear that they may not be taken seriously, may be ignored, or may be wrongfully blamed. To avoid re-traumatizing victims during the investigation process, it’s imperative we give these individuals the support they need to ensure survivors feel respected during the interview process and abusers are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Senator John Cornyn, Texas

The accusations, trial, and victim testimonies shocked the public because USA Gymnastics was an organization that Americans looked up to. Women’s Gymnastics Team from 2012 and 2016 (Fab Five and Final Five) had taken Gold at the Olympics and had a history of winning at World Championships and other events. The abuse scandal was unexpected and shocking when the Indianapolis Star published the story. The athletes held goodwill from the public and an outpouring of support during the accusations and the trials and this event is intertwined with them. The four athletes that spoke at the hearing held the public’s continued support. Simone Biles’ experience was shared on her Facebook docuseries “Simone vs. Herself” and many of the comments were positive and supportive. Claire Coyle, a fan, wrote on Facebook, “An inspirational athlete and human being ❤️.”  Media outlets covered the senate hearing extensively and positively. There have been to documentaries, Athlete A and At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal, that have done deep dives into scandal. There was no questioning the experiences and testimonies of the brave gymnasts.

While this testimony helped make changes for future athletes, it is also very worth mentioning that 156 women bravely testified during the trial and others who continued to speak the truth even while USA Gymnastics and the FBI continued to cover it up, protect themselves, and allow the abuse to continue. Thanks to all these women, future gymnasts and Olympic hopefuls will be protected from abuse.