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Olympic queen Biles urges US Congress to axe Olympic board after
accusing FBI of ‘turning a blind eye’ to sexual abuse allegations
14 Oct, 2021 16:44
Olympic champions including Simone Biles have made calls for Congress to disband the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s board of directors via a letter sent to a pair of senators amid a gymnastics sexual abuse scandal.
Biles has been joined by fellow Olympic gold medalists McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman and world champion Maggie Nichols in penning the correspondence, which was addressed to a pair of Democratic and Republican senators in Connecticut and Kansas, Richard Blumenthal and Jerry Moran.
The highest-profile athlete involved in the abuse scandal, Biles testified almost a month ago at a senate hearing into the way the FBI investigated Larry Nassar, and slammed the government body among others.
"I don’t want another young gymnast, Olympic athlete or any individual to experience the horror that I and hundreds of others have endured – before, during and continuing to this day in the wake of the Larry Nassar abuse," she said in her tearful opening statement.
"To be clear, I blame Larry Nassar and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse. The scars of this horrific abuse continue to live with all of us… the impacts of this man’s abuse are not ever over or forgotten.
"USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee knew that I was abused by their official team doctor long before I was ever made aware of their knowledge.
"We suffered and continue to suffer, because no one at the FBI, USAG, or the USOPC did what was necessary to protect us. We have been failed and we deserve answers. It really feels like the FBI turned a blind eye to us."
Yet another 'big failure' story about the FBI. They are a far cry from the image to portray.
Maroney, another of the 330 women and girls abused by the now-incarcerated Nassar as he worked with USA Olympics and at Michigan University, also stated she had been molested for a seven-year period, starting when she was aged just 13.
"I was molested by the US gymnastics national team and Olympic team doctor Larry Nassar," said Maroney in her own opening remarks. "And in actuality, he turned out to be more of a pedophile than he was a doctor."
“All we needed was one adult to do the right thing,” said Raisman, who filed a 2018 lawsuit against USA Gymnastics and the USOC, while 2015 team world champion Nichols was also present.
The quartet have now urged the US Senate to replace the entire Olympic and Paralympic board, and requested that a joint resolution must be passed by the first of November under the Empowering Olympians and Paralympians and Amateur Athlete Act of 2020, co-authored by the senators.
The legislation would place more liability on the committee and national governing bodies if sexual abuses by coaches and officials arise, and also allows Congress to dissolve the board if necessary.
"We believe it is time for Congress to exercise its authority over the organization it created by replacing the entire USOPC board with leadership willing and able to do what should have been done long ago: Responsibly investigate the systemic problem of sexual abuse within Olympic organizations – including the USOPC – and all efforts to conceal it," wrote the group.
"Since being aware of Nassar’s abuse, the USOPC’s top priority has been to hide culpability and avoid accountability.
"We make this request after years of patience, deliberation, and unrequited commitment to learn from our suffering and make amateur sports safe for future generations.
"We believe the Board's past actions demonstrate an unwillingness to confront the endemic problems with abuse that athletes like us have faced and a continued refusal to pursue true and necessary reform of the broken Olympic system."
There also must be an inquiry into the FBI Director in Indianapolis who refused to look into the allegations when they were first made. Previous reports suggested that he was offered a cushy job after retirement from the FBI.
Bill Cosby accused of rape in new sexual assault lawsuit,
months after being released from prison
15 Oct, 2021 16:18
A new sexual assault lawsuit has been filed against comedian Bill Cosby following his release from prison this year, after his conviction on three counts of aggravated indecent assault was overturned.
Actress Lili Bernard, one of dozens of women to have accused Cosby of sexual assault, filed a lawsuit against the disgraced comedian and television star on Thursday, approximately three months after he was released from prison.
Bernard, 57, alleges in her suit that Cosby drugged and raped her in an Atlantic City, New Jersey hotel in 1990 when she was 26. She claims to have met Cosby on the set of ‘The Cosby Show’ and he offered to be an acting mentor to her, even warning her about the “sexual pressures of Hollywood.”
Cosby “violently and without permission” grabbed her on one occasion in July of 1990, she alleges in the suit, and then drugged and raped her the following month during a trip he said was intended for her to meet with a producer to advance her career. Benard is seeking $125 million in damages.
Cosby was previously sentenced to three to 10 years in prison after being convicted on three counts of aggravated indecent assault in the fall of 2018. In June of this year, however, the 84-year-old’s conviction was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, citing a previous prosecutorial agreement that had been ignored.
Revelations about Cosby were especially scandalous for the public, as the comedian had once widely been referred to as ‘America’s Dad’, building his brand of humor on family-friendly comedy. Since then, rumors have swirled that Cosby could be attempting to put the host of controversies behind him and return to the road as a stand-up comedian.
Bernard told the Associated Press that Cosby’s release “retraumatized” and “terrified” her. “I was really horrified for any woman or girl that would come into contact with him,” she said, adding that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court “let a predator back on the streets.”
Cosby has continually denied all allegations of wrongdoing against him and maintained his innocence while facing conviction, despite the growing number of women publicly accusing him. He has similarly waved off the new lawsuit through a spokesperson, calling it “another attempt to abuse the legal process.”
“Mr. Cosby continues to maintain steadfast in his innocence and will vigorously fight ANY alleged allegations waged against him and is willing and able to take this fight to the highest court in these United States of America,” Cosby spokesperson Andrew Wyatt said.
Senior military official steps aside months after start of
sexual misconduct investigation
Nick Boisvert · CBC News ·
Posted: Oct 15, 2021 8:39 PM ET
The Canadian Armed Forces' commander of military personnel is under investigation for sexual misconduct and has stepped aside from the role.
The military confirmed late Friday that Lt.-Gen. Steven Whelan is facing an allegation of sexual misconduct that has been under investigation since at least June 2.
He remained in the senior role for more than four months after acting chief of the defence staff Gen. Wayne Eyre and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan learned of the investigation.
The CAF said that Whelan "was not to be made aware of it due to possible impacts on the investigation," which is ongoing.
Lt.-Gen Steven Whelan has been with the Canadian military since 1990. (The Royal Canadian Regiment)
"Given recent developments, after discussing with the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, LGen Whelan agrees he must step aside as the Commander, Military Personnel, effective immediately," the CAF statement continued.
The Globe and Mail first reported news of the investigation into Whelan.
The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS), the investigative branch of the military police, confirmed in a separate statement that it is investigating the allegation but said that no further information could be released.
"The Military Police do not, by practice, proactively disclose the existence of ongoing investigations. This is standard procedure amongst all police forces as disclosing if someone is being investigated could jeopardize the integrity of the investigation," the CFNIS said.
Whelan's predecessor as head of military personnel, Vice-Admiral Haydn Edmundson, was placed on indefinite leave with pay in March after CBC News reported about allegations of rape made against him by a former military member.
Edmundson denies the allegations.
Whelan has been with the military since 1990 and was appointed commander of military personnel in May 2021, according to his biography page with the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR). He also serves as chair of the senate at the RCR, which is the army's senior infantry regiment.
The military in crisis
The military is in the midst of an ongoing sexual misconduct crisis, and several senior leaders facing allegations have been put on leave with pay.
Canada's former top military commander, retired general Jonathan Vance, is charged with one count of obstruction of justice in relation to an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct that he denies.
His successor, Admiral Art McDonald, was placed on leave over an investigation into sexual misconduct claims that he denied and that didn't lead to criminal charges.
Maj.-Gen. Peter Dawe, who once provided a character reference for a soldier being sentenced for sexual assault, was recently tapped for a key role in the military's response to sexual misconduct before his appointment was rescinded.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and senior government officials have pledged to conduct a thorough review of military culture following the recent misconduct scandals.
The allegations against numerous military leaders have also prompted calls for Sajjan's resignation.
A spokesperson for the defence minister said Sajjan was also unable to comment on the investigation.
"The minister requested that the complainant receive all necessary support," said Todd Lane.
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