Aly Raisman wants an “independent investigation” after former U.S. gymnastics coach John Geddert killed himself. Geddert was charged with 24 felonies in connection with the abuse of young gymnasts and was set to turn himself to authorities on Thursday afternoon. Raisman was on the U.S. gymnastics team when Geddert was the coach and says the organization failed her and other gymnasts.
“As a minor on the National Team, I frequently had to travel (without my parents) under the supervision of USA Gymnastics,” Raisman wrote on Twitter. “The ‘responsible’ adults included John Geddert, Marvin Sharpe, Steve Penny, and Larry Nassar. “Respectively, the criminal offenses they have been charged with include Criminal Sexual Conduct and Racketeering, Child Molesting, Destroying Evidence, and Sexual assault.”
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Raisman continued: “For an organization that has claimed for the past 15+ years that “athlete safety is the No. 1 priority,” it’s impossible to imagine a greater failure. This is & has always been bigger than John Geddert, Marvin Sharpe, Steve Penny, and Larry Nassar. Why is there still no independent investigation? How many more children have to suffer?”
State officials in Michigan believe Geddert died via a self-inflicted gunshot. If Geddert would have been convicted on all counts he would have been facing a life sentence in prison. But as TMZ mentioned, the case against Geddert won’t move forward because of his death. And that doesn’t sit well with another gymnast who said she was abused by Nassar.
“The bravery of Geddert’s many victims will stand for all time in stark contrast to his cowardice. As a survivor and a mother of two young girls, my only comfort is in the knowledge that I can rest my head on the pillow every night knowing that John Geddert will never terrorize and abuse another child,” Sarah Klein said, as reported by CNN.
Along with being the former gymnastics coach, Geddert also owned the Twistars Gymnastics Club in Michigan. It was one of the places where Nassar admitted to sexually abusing young female athletes. A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office said they had “no indication” Geddert “intended to flee or hurt himself or others.” Geddert was facing 14 counts of human trafficking-forced labor resulting in injury, six counts of human trafficking of a minor for forced labor, and one count each of continuing criminal enterprise, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, second-degree criminal sexual conduct and lying to a peace officer during a violent crime investigation.
