US gymnastics coach Larry Nassar sentenced for assaulting female gymnasts

LANSING, Mich. –One of the first athletes to accuse Larry Nassar of sexual assault confronted him Wednesday in a Michigan courtroom where the former sports doctor was due to the sentenced for years of molesting Olympic gymnasts and other young women.

The last of more than 150 victims to offer statements at Nassar’s sentencing hearing was a Kentucky lawyer who stepped forward in 2016 after USA Gymnastics was accused of mishandling complaints of sexual assault.Rachael Denhollander said Nassar groped, fondled and penetrated her with his hands when she was a 15-year-old gymnast in Michigan. Denhollander’s statements to Michigan State University police put the criminal investigation in high gear in 2016.

“You have become a man ruled by selfish and perverted desires,” she told Nassar, who worked at the university and USA Gymnastics, the sport’s governing body, which also trains Olympians.

Nassar faces a minimum prison term of 25 to 40 years when he is sentenced later Wednesday by Judge Rosemarie Aquilina.

The sentence will cap a remarkable seven-day hearing that has given the girls, young women and their parents a chance to confront the doctor in court.

Nassar, 54, pleaded guilty to assaulting seven people in the Lansing area, but the sentencing hearing has been open to anyone who said they were a victim. His accusers said he would use his ungloved hands to penetrate them, often without explanation, while they were on a table seeking help for various injuries.

The accusers, many of whom were children, said they trusted Nassar to care for them properly, were in denial about what was happening or were afraid to speak up. He sometimes used a sheet or his body to block the view of any parent in the room.

“I’d been told during my entire gymnastics career to not question authority,” a former elite gymnast, Isabell Hutchins, said Tuesday.

The judge is likely to be unsparing in her treatment of Nassar. Aquilina has praised the victims who have appeared in her court since Jan. 16, calling them “sister survivors,” while also assuring them that their perpetrator will pay. The women have included Olympians Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber and McKayla Maroney.

“Your words are vital. They are as strong as your martial arts,” Aquilina told Christina Barba, who has known Nassar for decades and practices karate. “They will take him down quicker and cleaner than any kick you’ve got.”

Hutchins and Mattie Larson, a former national gymnast, talked about how Nassar won their allegiance with candy, Olympic trinkets and encouraging words while they were under constant scrutiny from their demanding coaches.

Brooke Hylek, a gymnast who plans to compete in college, heaped scorn on Nassar.

“I cannot believe I ever trusted you, and I will never forgive you,” she said Tuesday. “I’m happy you will be spending the rest of your life in prison. Enjoy hell by the way.”

Emily Morales had a softer message.

“I want you to apologize to me right here,” the 18-year-old told Nassar. “I want to forgive you, but I also want to hear you tell me that you regret all the hurting you caused.”

He did. She replied with, “Thank you.”

Nassar has already been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for child pornography crimes. He is scheduled to be sentenced next week on more assault convictions in Eaton County, Michigan.

AP

Ex USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry appeared in Michigan court

Michigan – Former USA Gymnastic team doctor Larry Nassar, accused of sexually assaulting dozens women and girls, pleaded guilty Wednesday to seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in a Michigan court.

Three of those charges applied to victims under 13, and three applied to victims 13 to 15 years old. Other charges were dismissed or reduced as part of a plea agreement. All 125 victims who reported assaults to Michigan State Police will be allowed to give victim impact statements at Nassar’s sentencing, according to the plea deal.

Nassar made a short statement apologizing and saying he was hopeful the community could move forward.

“For all those involved, I’m so horribly sorry that this was like a match that turned into a forest fire out of control,” he said. “I have no animosity toward anyone. I just want healing. … We need to move forward in a sense of growth and healing and I pray (for) that.”

Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said Nassar violated the trust of his patients and praised the victims for coming forward.

“You violated the oath that you took to do no harm, and you harmed them selfishly,” Aquilina said. “They are superheroes for all of America because this is an epidemic.”

In all, Nassar had been charged with 22 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and 11 counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct at the state level, Megan Hawthorne, deputy press secretary for state Attorney General Bill Schuette, told CNN in July.

A number of women, including several gold-medal winning members of the famed “Fierce Five” team of American gymnasts, have accused Nassar of sexual misconduct in his role as the USA Gymnastics doctor.

Nassar was the team physician for the Michigan State University gymnastics and women’s crew teams as well as an associate professor at MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. He worked at MSU from 1997 to 2016 and served as the USA Gymnastics physician through four Olympic Games.

Several of the first-degree charges pertained to victims under 13, and all of the state-level charges involve former family friends, gymnasts and patients of Nassar, Hawthorne said.

Separately, Nassar is also awaiting sentencing on federal charges of receiving child pornography, possessing child pornography and a charge that he hid and destroyed evidence in the case. That hearing is scheduled for Monday.

CNN

Three times Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas sexually abused by USA Gymnastics team physician

New York – Three-times Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas said on Tuesday she was sexually abused by former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar, the latest in a list of female athletes to accuse the doctor of misconduct.

Douglas, who last week was criticized for placing some of the onus on women to avoid sexual harassment, apologized again for her remarks while adding that she too was abused by Nassar, who is in jail awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to federal child pornography charges.

In an Instagram post on Tuesday addressing last week’s comments that were viewed by some as victim shaming, Douglas wrote: ”It would be like saying that because of the leotards we wore, it was our fault that we were abused by Larry Nassar.

“I didn’t publicly share my experiences as well as many other things because for years we were conditioned to stay silent and honestly some things were extremely painful.”

Jeff Raymond, a publicist for Douglas, confirmed in an email that the gymnast was in fact “confirming that she too was a victim of Larry Nassar.”

Nassar’s attorney, Matt Newburg, was not immediately available for comment but has previously said that due to a gag order imposed he had no comment.

Douglas is the third member of the ‘Fierce Five’ gymnastics team who won a team gold at the 2012 London Olympics to allege abuse by Nassar, joining Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney.

It was after Raisman’s allegations last week that Douglas wrote in a since-deleted post on Twitter that “it is our responsibility as women to dress modestly and be classy. Dressing in a provocative/sexual way entices the wrong crowd.”

(Reuters)

8 members of Cuban volleyball team detained for Rape Case in Finland

HELSINK, FINLAND 4th July 2016: Finnish police have released two members of Cuba’s national men’s volleyball team but are holding six others on suspicion of aggravated rape, an investigator said Monday.

Police will request that a regional court on Tuesday order the six men to be remanded in custody to continue the investigation before any possible charges, said Joni Lansipuro, the Central Finland Police Department officer in charge of the investigation.

“We have made considerable progress in our investigation and have various pieces of evidence and relevant factors that support our suspicions,” Lansipuro said. “We propose (to the court) that they be held in custody.”

The eight men were detained over the weekend in Tampere after local police on Saturday morning received a report that a woman had been raped at a hotel in the city, 170 kilometers (105 miles) north of the capital, Helsinki. The Cuban team was in the city participating in the Volleyball World League tournament in Tampere where they lost 3-1 against Finland without three of their players, who had been detained.

Lansipuro said the Cuban team had been scheduled to leave the country on Monday morning, but it wasn’t immediately clear if they had departed.

Police declined to give further information pending the outcome of the investigation, except to say that the alleged victim and suspects were adults.

The international volleyball federation, FIVB, said it’s “very concerned by the alleged serious misconduct” of the Cuban national team and has been in close contact with all parties involved.

“The FIVB has absolute zero tolerance of any offence committed against another person by any players or officials at an FIVB event,” the world body said in a statement to Finnish broadcaster YLE.

Baseball star Ivan Rodriguez to Raise Awareness of Threat of Zika Virus in Puerto Rico

EWING, N.J., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Church & Dwight Co. Inc., the maker of Trojan™ Brand Condoms, and the National Coalition of STD Directors announced today a partnership with Major League Baseball player, Ivan Rodriguez to raise awareness around how to prevent the spread of the Zika virus in Puerto Rico. Rodriguez, a native Puerto Rican, will voice a radio commercial in Spanish set to air across Puerto Rico, highlighting the importance of condom use in combatting the spread of Zika.

Audio

The commercial, part of the brand’s ongoing effort to combat the Zika outbreak, clarifies Zika, while primarily spread by mosquitos, can also be sexually transmitted by an infected man to his partner. In the radio spot, Rodriguez reinforces the importance of wearing a condom to avoid the consequences of Zika for pregnant women and those who may become pregnant while infected. Infection with Zika during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects. The commercial will air across 118 radio stations throughout Puerto Rico this summer.

“Zika is an incredibly harmful disease and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), could infect as many as 1 in 4 Puerto Ricans by the end of this year. We are proud to partner withIvan Rodriguez as we continue our ongoing efforts to call attention to the fact that unlike many other mosquito-borne diseases, Zika can be transmitted through sexual contact,” said Bruce Weiss, Vice President of Marketing for Trojan™ Brand Condoms. “We are committed to investing in sexual health and raising awareness around the importance of using a condom each and every time during sex. To protect against Zika virus, this is especially important for couples who are pregnant or may become pregnant. A man may transmit Zika to his pregnant partner, even if he does not have symptoms at the time or if his symptoms have gone away. Condoms can protect a pregnant woman from getting Zika from sex.”

“While I played Major League Baseball in the U.S. for more than 20 years, Puerto Rico will always be my home. I was shocked to hear the alarming rate at which the Zika virus is spreading across the territory,” said Ivan Rodriguez. “I am honored to partner with Trojan™ to help raise awareness around the importance of protection for those that live a sexually active life. The consequences of contracting Zika can be devastating for pregnant women, and I want to encourage Puerto Ricans to understand that aside from abstinence, there is no better way to protect against giving or getting Zika from sex, than using a condom.”

In May, the maker of Trojan™ Brand Condoms donated more than 150,000 condoms to aid the CDC Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) efforts to help prevent the spread of Zika virus to women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, because Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects. Trojan™ Brand Condoms will be included in Zika Prevention Kits being distributed in areas of high risk including the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa as well as the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Zika virus is generally spread by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquito, but it can also be passed during sex by a man who has Zika to his partner¹. Based on recent evidence, sexual transmission of the virus may be more common than previously thought². Men and women who live in or travel to an area with Zika and who are concerned about trying to get pregnant, should talk to their healthcare provider. CDC recommends pregnant couples with male partners who live in or travel to areas with Zika, take steps to protect their pregnancy. These couples should use a condom every time they have sex or not have sex during the pregnancy. To be effective, condoms must be used correctly from start to finish, every time during vaginal, anal, and oral (mouth-to-penis) sex³.

In addition to helping combat the spread of Zika virus, the maker of Trojan™ Brand Condoms is committed to investing in public health efforts to support sexual health. Last year, Trojan announced the launch of a 10-year partnership with the National Coalition of STD Directors to donate more than 1,000,000 Trojan brand condoms to health departments across the country every year for 10 years.

More information about the Zika virus and sexual transmission can be found on CDC’s website (http://www.cdc.gov/zika/transmission/sexual-transmission.html).