USA Olympic Bronze Medal Gymnast Tasha Schwikert and USA Gymnastics national team member Jordan Schwikert have filed civil lawsuits against USA Gymnastics (USAG), the US Olympic Committee (USOC), and criminally convicted former USA Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar for enabling and failing to prevent the unlawful sexual assault of the young women in their care.
PSBR attorneys Kevin Boyle and Jesse Creed as well as Mo Aziz of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Aziz and attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel stood beside the sisters at a press conference on Monday following an announcement of the filings. It is the first complaint related to the Nassar sex abuse scandal to seek damages under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, as each of these defendants engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity including sexual exploitation, abuse, and trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit such acts.
“As a former elite gymnast and now coach, gymnastics continues to be a huge part of my life. I want to see change within the sport I love and believe that the culture of gymnastics should focus on the physical and emotional well-being of gymnasts, instill positive body image, and create an environment where athletes feel they can speak up and be heard,” said Jordan Schwikert. “My hope is that through this lawsuit, we can get to the truth and hold USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee accountable for its failure to care and protect gymnasts like me from being sexually abused. It is time for them to implement real institutional change that will destroy the culture of abuse that allowed this to happen to so many gymnasts,” said Tasha Schwikert. “Even at the pinnacle of my career, during the Olympic games in Sydney, USAG and USOC failed to protect me as a young child and permitted Larry to implement his scheme of childhood sex abuse.