Sec. 2. Findings
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Congress makes the following findings: The courageous voice of survivors is a call to action to end emotional, physical, and sexual abuse in the Olympic and Paralympic movement. Larry Nassar, the former national team doctor for USA Gymnastics, sexually abused over 300 athletes for over two decades because of ineffective oversight by USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee. While the case of Larry Nassar is unprecedented in scale, the case is hardly the only recent incident of sexual abuse in amateur sports.
Survivors of Larry Nassar’s abuse and all survivors of abuse in the Olympic and Paralympic movement deserve justice and redress for the wrongs the survivors have suffered. After a comprehensive congressional investigation, including interviews and statements from survivors, former and current organization officials, law enforcement, and advocates, Congress found that the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics fundamentally failed to uphold their existing statutory purposes and duty to protect amateur athletes from sexual, emotional, or physical abuse.
USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee knowingly concealed abuse by Larry Nassar, leading to the abuse of dozens of additional amateur athletes during the period beginning in the summer of 2015 and ending in September 2016. Ending abuse in the Olympic and Paralympic movement requires enhanced oversight to ensure that the Olympic and Paralympic movement does more to serve athletes and protect their voice and safety.