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

Olympics-Dalilah Muhammad wins Olympic gold in women’s 400 hurdles

RIO DE JANEIRO — American Dalilah Muhammad picked a good year to hit her peak in the 400-meter hurdles.

After two years of struggling with injuries and losing confidence over disappointing results, Muhammad won gold Thursday in 53.14 seconds, dominating the race despite a light rain that fell over Olympic Stadium.

Taking command early, Muhammad found herself all alone in the final 100 meters, cruising to the finish by a comfortable .42 seconds over Denmark’s Sara Slott Petersen. It’s the first time an American woman has won a gold medal in this event.

American Ashley Spencer, who was far back early, earned the bronze medal with a strong finishing kick while posting her personal best time of 53.72 seconds.

Ashton Eaton repeats as decathlon gold medalist

“It’s so exciting,” said Muhammad, the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the event. “This means so much; I’ve been working so hard for this. The last two years haven’t been the best but to finally be where I’m supposed to be at the right time, and I’m so happy about that.”

Muhammad’s performance at the U.S. Olympic trials foreshadowed her gold-medal run here. After making a coaching change in February and improving her fitness level, she posted the fastest time in the world this year and shaved nearly a second off her personal best.

“I just to remotivate myself to work harder,” she said. “I worked as hard as I ever did in this last year and being so much more disciplined played a huge factor.”

Though she didn’t run that fast in Rio, it was an impressive performance nonetheless for the former Southern Cal hurdler. Her game plan coming out of lane No. 3 was to hit the front as quickly as possible, and she didn’t disappoint. By hurdle No. 8, she had opened up on the field and was only going to get caught if she made a mistake.

U.S swimmer Ryan Lochte lied about robbery, Brazil police

Rio de Janeiro – American Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte fabricated a story about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro, a Brazilian police official told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The official, who has direct knowledge of the investigation, spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about an ongoing probe.

He said that around 6 a.m. on Sunday, Lochte, along with fellow swimmers Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz and Jimmy Feigen, stopped at a gas station in Barra da Tijuca, a suburb of Rio where many Olympic venues are located. One of the swimmers tried to open the door of an outside bathroom. It was locked.

The official said a few of the swimmers then pushed on the door and broke it. A security guard appeared and confronted them.

The guard was armed with a pistol, but he never took it out or pointed it at the swimmers, the official said.

According to the official, the gas station manager then arrived.

Using a customer to translate, the manager asked the swimmers to pay for the broken door. The official says after a discussion, they did pay him an unknown amount of money and left.

The news comes after two of those swimmers, Conger and Bentz, were yanked off a homebound flight Wednesday. The pair later told police that the robbery story had been fabricated, the Brazilian police official said.

Police have planned a Thursday afternoon news briefing on the incident. A message seeking comment was left with Lochte’s attorney.

“Let’s give these kids a break…they had fun, they made a mistake, life goes on,” a Rio Olympics spokesman told Reuters.

Feigen, who was not on the flight with Conger and Bentz, was ordered to stay in Brazil. He told USA Today that he’s cooperating with authorities. Lochte made it back to the U.S. before authorities could seize his passport.

Lochte said he was with Conger, Bentz and Feigen when they were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi by men with a police badge as they returned to the athletes’ village from a party, several hours after the final Olympic swimming events were held. Lochte claimed he had a gun pointed at his head.

https://w.graphiq.com/w/kWQZnXaC1wh

NBC reported Wednesday night that Lochte backed off some of his earlier claims about the robbery. He now says the taxi wasn’t pulled over by men with a badge, but that they were robbed after stopping at a gas station, NBC reported. Lochte also said the assailant pointed a gun at him rather than putting it to his head.

But Lochte also said no one in law enforcement asked him to stay in the country for additional questioning and reportedly expressed surprise at the casual nature of authorities’ questioning.

Asked by Matt Lauer if he had made the robbery story up, Lochte denied the charge.

“He stopped me quickly and strongly denied that,” Lauer said. “He said, ‘That’s absolutely not the case. I wouldn’t make up a story like this, nor would the others. As a matter of fact, we all feel it makes us look bad. We’re victims in this and we’re happy that we’re safe.'”

But the group did not call police, authorities said, and officers began investigating once they saw media reports in which Lochte’s mother spoke about the robbery.

Police interviewed Lochte and one other swimmer, who said they had been intoxicated and could not remember what type and color of taxi they rode in or where the robbery happened, the police official said. The swimmers also could not say what time the events occurred.

Lochte described the alleged robbery to NBC’s “Today” show Sunday.

“We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over,” Lochte said. “They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground — they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn’t do anything wrong, so — I’m not getting down on the ground.

“And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, ‘Get down,’ and I put my hands up, I was like ‘whatever.’ He took our money, he took my wallet — he left my cellphone, he left my credentials.”

Lochte told USA Today that he and his teammates didn’t initially tell the U.S. Olympic officials about the robbery “because we were afraid we’d get in trouble.”

AP

Two U.S. Swimmers Pulled Off Plane in Rio Amid Robbery Probe

 

Ryan Lochte to Matt Lauer on alleged robbery: ‘We wouldn’t make this up’

Two U.S. Olympic swimmers who say they were with Ryan Lochte when they were robbed in Rio de Janeiro were removed from a plane by Brazilian authorities late Wednesday.

Jeff Ostrow, a lawyer representing Lochte, and a spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee confirmed swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were taken off the aircraft.

Detective Alexandre Braga, the chief of the city’s tourist police, said the pair had their passports “temporarily confiscated by a court order” through the Brazilian Sporting Events Court.

Bentz and Conger were released by authorities “with the understanding that they would continue their discussions about the incident on Thursday,” said USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky.

The two were seen leaving the airport police station early Thursday, when they were surrounded by media before getting into a black vehicle.

FROM AUG. 15: Ryan Lochte gives details of robbery in Rio2:35

 

On Wednesday, a Brazilian judge ordered Lochte and Olympian Jimmy Feigen to remain in Brazil as authorities investigated their account of being robbed at gunpoint in Rio early Sunday by assailants dressed as police officers.

Sandusky said in a statement Thursday that Bentz, Conger and Feigen were “cooperating with authorities” and determining a time and place to speak further with police.

“All are represented by counsel and being appropriately supported by the USOC and the U.S. Consulate in Rio,” he added.

Lochte’s lawyer said Conger and Bentz had not been specifically named by thejudge who had wanted Lochte’s and Feigen’s passports seized.

However, Lochte had already left Brazil and is in the United States. Feigen is still in Brazil and is cooperating with local authorities and “intends to make further statements” on Thursday, the USOC spokesman said.

Sources at Rio’s airport told NBC News that Feigen checked in for a flight online, but never showed up.

“WE’RE VICTIMS IN THIS AND WE’RE HAPPY THAT WE’RE SAFE”

Brazilian judge Keyla Blanc de Cnop said Lochte and Feigen gave contradictory accounts of the robbery, according to the court’s statement. The men also said the robbery took place on the way home from a club, which they left at 4 a.m. But security video showed them leaving at a different time, the judge said.

De Cnop added that Lochte told police there was one robber, while Feigen said there were more, one of whom had a gun.

Lochte told TODAY’s Matt Lauer in a telephone interview Wednesday night that he returned from Rio earlier that day, and no one told him he should stay in Brazil. Lochte said he told authorities he would cooperate.

Lauer said he asked Lochte about skepticism that his story may have been fabricated but the swimmer balked at that suggestion.

“He strongly denied that, said it’s absolutely not the case,” Lauer said.

Two US swimmers pulled from plane in Brazil

“I wouldn’t make up a story like this nor would the others — as a matter of fact we all feel it makes us look bad,” Lauer said, quoting Lochte. “We’re victims in this and we’re happy that we’re safe.”

State Department spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. government was aware of the situation. “We have seen media reports that two U.S. citizen athletes were detained. We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance,” Kirby said in a statement.

The swimmers are subject to questioning and potential charges if police believe they gave false or misleading statements to authorities, which can carry up to six months in jail.

But under Brazil’s constitution ratified in 1988, they have the right to remain silent.

Lochte repeated his story of what happened in large part, but a few details changed, Lauer said during NBC Sports coverage of the Olympics Wednesday night.

In an interview with TODAY’s Billy Bush on Sunday, just hours after the alleged robbery, Lochte had said the gun was put against his forehead — but said in Wednesday’s telephone conversation that the gun was pointed in his general direction but the weapon was cocked, Lauer reported.

Lochte did not repeat part of his story that their taxi was pulled over by the robbers, Lauer said.

Lochte said Wednesday they were at a gas station and got back in the taxi, the taxi driver did not move, and it was then that two robbers with guns and badges approached the car and ordered the swimmers out of the vehicle and onto the ground, Lauer said.

What might happen to US Olympic swimmers questioned over Rio robbery?

Ostrow, the lawyer, said Lochte gave police a statement as representatives from the U.S. State Department, United States Olympic Committee and the FBI observed. Lochte signed the statement to attest to its truthfulness, Ostrow added.

Police did not ask Lochte for more information, and they did not ask him to remain in Brazil, Ostrow said.

“They never said, ‘Stay around,'” Ostrow said. “Otherwise, I would have advised Ryan to stay.”

He accused Brazilian authorities of trying to “save face” after allowing the incident to become “a circus.”

Lochte said in the telephone interview that he initially didn’t want to tell the story of the armed robbery because they were worried they’d broken swim team rules, Lauer said.

Once he realized he hadn’t broken any rules by being out drinking because he was over 21, Lochte said he felt it was OK to tell the story, Lauer added.

FROM AUG. 14: U.S. Olympic Swimmer Ryan Lochte, Teammates Robbed At Gunpoint

Story courtesy NBC

Brazil ordered two U.S. Olympians to stay in the country

Rio de Janeiro – Brazilian authorities have ordered two US Olympic swimmers to stay in the country after questioning their claim they were robbed.

A judge ordered Ryan Lochte and James Feigen’s passports to be seized until they could give further evidence.

However, Lochte’s father says he is back in the US, and judicial sources suspect both swimmers are no longer in Brazil.

A US Olympic Committee (USOC) spokesman said police arrived at the Athletes’ Village on Wednesday, asking to speak to the swimmers and take their passports.

Jimmy Feigen’s whereabouts are currently unknown

“The swim team moved out of the village after their competition ended, so we were not able to make the athletes available,” said USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky.

He said he could not confirm the swimmers’ location for security reasons.

Lochte, one of swimming’s most decorated Olympians, said he, Feigen and two other team mates were robbed on Sunday as they travelled back to the Athletes’ Village after a party.

Investigators were puzzled by CCTV of the swimmers at the Athletes’ Village

They said they were in a taxi in the early hours of the morning when armed men carrying police badges pulled them over.

Lochte told NBC’s Today show: “They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground – they got down on the ground.

“I refused, I was like we didn’t do anything wrong, so I’m not getting down on the ground.

There has been huge security for South America’s first Olympics

“And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, ‘Get down’, and I put my hands up, I was like ‘whatever.’

“He took our money, he took my wallet – he left my cellphone, he left my credentials.”

But Judge Keyla Blanc said she was puzzled by video footage of the swimmers returning to the Athletes’ Village joking with one another.

“They arrived with their psychological and physical integrity unshaken,” she wrote.

Authorities also said the group did not call police, and officers only began investigating once they saw media reports.

Police sources say they have been unable to find the taxi driver or to verify details provided by the swimmers.

Lochte’s lawyer, Jeff Ostrow, has said there is no question the robbery happened.

Twelve-time Olympic medalist Lochte swam in two events at the Rio Games, winning gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

news.sky.com

U.S. swimmers win historic 1,000th Olympic gold medal for Team USA

RIO DE JANEIRO – The U.S. women’s 400-meter medley relay team of Kathleen Baker, Lilly King, Simone Manuel and Dana Vollmer today made history by securing the 1,000^th gold medal for Team USA at the Olympic Games in summer competition. The milestone highlights Team USA’s sustained competitive excellence, dating back to the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

On the final night of pool swimming in Rio, the U.S. won the race in a time of 3:53.13, ahead of Australia (3:55.00) and Denmark (3:55.01).

The first U.S. gold medal was won by triple jumper James Connolly on April 6, 1896.

“One thousand gold medals is a remarkable achievement made possible by the culture of sport that is the fabric and foundation of Team USA,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “It is a testament first and foremost to our athletes, but it also reveals the impact of the support provided by our National Governing Bodies, our sponsors and donors, and American fans. This is an accomplishment we celebrate together.”

Several USOC sponsors will generously donate gifts to the swimmers in recognition of the milestone. The gifts will have a theme of 1,000 to highlight the longevity of Team USA’s success.

Team USA entered the Rio Olympics with 977 gold medals in summer competition, and the relay team’s podium-topping performance marked the 23rd of the Games for the Americans.

Of the 1,000 gold medals, more than half (569) have come from track and field (323), and swimming (246). The 23 U.S. gold medals thus far in Rio were won in swimming (15), gymnastics (2), track and field (2), cycling (1), judo (1), rowing (1), and shooting (1).

The former Soviet Union is second on the all-time list with 395 gold medals, while Great Britain is second among active countries with 245.

Team USA Roster For Rio 2016 Olympic Games

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., July 28, 2016 – After a challenging season of trials and qualification, all Team Kellogg’s athletes have officially been named to Team USA. Through their dedication, hard work and perseverance, Team Kellogg’s has proven they have what it takes to representthe United States at the 2016 Olympic Games as first-time Olympians. By showcasing what gets them started each day, the athletes have shown fans firsthand what drives them towards their Team USAaspirations, and gets them through the daily grind of training and competition.

“It has been thrilling to watch Team Kellogg’s transition from Team USA hopefuls to official first-time Team USA members. By examining what gets them started, we’ve learned what inspires these athletes to push themselves to success in their sports and in life,” said Noel Geoffroy, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Innovation for Kellogg’s® U.S. Morning Foods. “We are extremely proud of Team Kellogg’saccomplishments over the past few months and wish them the best of luck on their Road To Rio.”

Kellogg’s is excited to announce the newest member of Team Kellogg’s and Team USA. First-time Olympian in men’s basketball, Jimmy Butler, has been a partner of the company for several years and a natural addition to Team Kellogg’s. Butler joins the existing Kellogg’s team which is made up of first-time U.S. Olympic athletes: Ajee’ Wilson (track and field – 800m), Julie Johnston (soccer), Simone Biles(gymnastics) and Tom Shields (swimming – 100 and 200m fly). While the official Team USA Paralympic announcement comes out in a few weeks, Natalie Bieule has been nominated for Rio, having placed first in U.S. Paralympic discus trials in early July.

“I’m really excited share my first Olympic Games experience with Team USA and my fellow Team Kellogg’s members,” said Simone Biles. “Kellogg’s has helped get me started since I was a kid, so I’m proud to be representing their team with this incredible group of athletes. We are all very excited to experience Rio in August.”