The sentencing hearing of Larry Nassar, who has been accused of sexually assaulting more than 150 women over decades as a trainer working with USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, has stretched across multiple days in Lansing, Mich. Former Olympic medal-winning gymnasts Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber are among the women making powerful statements in court.
NCAA President Mark Emmert says he doesn’t have enough details about Michigan State’s part in Larry Nassar case
“It just breaks your heart when you look at it, but I can’t offer an opinion at this time.”
Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images
Last week, NCAA President Mark Emmert was attending the NCAA convention in Indianapolis. He was asked about the scandal involving Michigan State, and indicated he was not ready to issue a detailed response to the case.
“I don’t have enough information [on] the details of what transpired at the school right now,” Emmert said via ESPN. “That’s obviously something that the university itself is looking deeply into. You hear that testimony — it just breaks your heart when you look at it, but I can’t offer an opinion at this time. It’s clearly very, very disturbing, and I know the leadership there is equally shaken by it.”
Amid accounts of Michigan State failing to properly handle abuse claims against Nassar, many have already been calling for the resignation of MSU president Lou Anna K. Simon. The university’s Board of Trustees chairman Brian Breslin issued a statement of support last week for the embattled administrator:
“Through this terrible situation, the university has been perceived as tone deaf, unresponsive and insensitive to the victims. We understand the public’s faith has been shaken. The Board has listened and heard the victims. Today, the Board acted and has asked the Attorney General’s Office to review the facts in this matter, and as information is presented, the Board will act. This can never happen again. As part of the Board’s oversight authority, we will retain independent external assistance to support our responsibilities to the university community and the public at large. We continue to believe President Simon is the right leader for the university and she has our support.”
MSU’s Board of Trustees also wrote a letter to Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette calling for an investigation of the university’s handling of the allegations against Nassar.
“After watching many of these heartbreaking statements and reading accounts about them, we have concluded that only a review by your office can resolve the questions in a way that the victims, their families, and the public will deem satisfactory and that will help all those affected by Nassar’s horrible crimes to heal.”
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