Aly Raisman Opens up About Sexual Abuse by Team Doctor

Six-time Olympic medalist and two-time national team captain Aly Raisman says she was sexually abused by former Michigan State and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.

The 23-year-old gymnast told CBS’ 60 Minutes in an interview scheduled to air Sunday that she spoke to FBI investigators after serving as national team captain at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. In the interview, Raisman said she didn’t know why it took so long for allegations against Nassar to come forward.

Nassar already faces 22 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and could receive a sentence of life in prison.

“Why are we looking at why didn’t the girls speak up? Why not look at what about the culture?” Raisman said. “What did USA Gymnastics do, and Larry Nassar do, to manipulate these girls so much that they are so afraid to speak up?”

More: Aly Raisman Responds to Man Who Body-Shamed Her at Airport

She told 60 Minutes that she started seeing Nassar when she was 15. She details the abuse in her book Fierce, which will be released on Nov. 14.

Raisman is now the second member of the “Fierce Five” women’s Olympic gymnastics team from the London 2012 Games to allege abuse by Nassar. Last month, Raisman offered her support to McKayla Maroney after she alleged abuse by Nassar dating back to 2009, when she was just 13.

Nassar was involved with USA Gymnastics for almost 30 years as a trainer and national medical coordinator, which allowed him to work with the country’s most elite gymnast in four separate Olympic games, according to ESPN.

In a statement to 60 Minutes, USA Gymnastics said that it was “very sorry that any athlete has been harmed” and that “we want to work with Aly and all interested athletes to keep athletes safe.”

More than 140 women are now suing Nassar and his former employer, Michigan State University, as well as USA Gymnastics and other defendants. Attorneys have said that more women are expected to join the lawsuits.

Nassar has already pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges and is awaiting a Dec. 7 sentencing in jail. He also faces charges in state court in Michigan, largely related to claims that he digitally penetrated women during medical exams. If convicted on any one of the 22 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, Nassar could be sentenced to life in prison. In the past, Nassar and his attorneys have defended the intra-vaginal and intra-rectal procedures as part of accepted medical practice.

Raisman has called for change within gymnastics.

“I am angry,” Raisman told 60 Minutes. “I’m really upset because it’s been — I care a lot, you know, when I see these young girls that come up to me, and they ask for pictures or autographs, whatever it is, I just … I can’t … every time I look at them, every time I see them smiling, I just think … I just want to create change so that they never, ever have to go through this.”