Aly Raisman: Coach heard Olympic team had pedophile, said nothing
Published February 9, 2018
(JTA) — Aly Raisman, an American Olympic medalist, said that her former coach likely knew but said nothing of molestation allegations against serial pedophile and former Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar.
Raisman, who is Jewish, said this Thursday in an interview with CNN.
“One of my teammates described in graphic detail what Nassar had done to her the night before. And John Geddert was in the car with us and he just didn’t say anything,” she said of the ex-Olympics top coach. The conversation occurred in 2011 — five years before Nassar got busted, Raisman added.
Geddert abruptly resigned last month after USA Gymnastics suspended him as part of an internal investigation, the New York Daily News reported. The daily’s attempts to reach the 60-year-old gymnastics were not immediately successful, the report said.
Geddert came under criminal investigation himself earlier this month, according to the Daily News, following complaints about him filed following Nassar’s sentencing last month. Authorities have declined to specify the nature of the complaints or how many have been filed, citing an ongoing investigation.
A Michigan judge handed Nassar several consecutive sentences with a total of 140 years in prison at least.
Raisman was among dozens of young female gymnasts Nassar has pleaded guilty to molesting.
The House Oversight Committee on Thursday launched an investigation into the gymnastics team in an attempt to ascertain who there knew about the abuse.
“This reprehensible conduct went undetected or ignored for years,” the committee, led by Reps. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), said in a statement, calling this “One of the most disturbing aspects” of accounts about Nassar’s actions.
“Coaches, instructors, law enforcement, and other trusted adults all failed these young athletes,” the statement read.
“I know he didn’t ask us any questions, but that is just why we need the full, independent investigation,” Raisman said of Geddert.
“It’s just unacceptable to me,” she said. “This should have never ever happened. You know, if one adult listened or had the character to act … we would have never met him,” she said of Nassar, whom Raisman said molested her, too.
