Larry Nassar: Former sports doctor who sexually abused gymnasts 'stabbed' in Florida prison
A disgraced sports doctor who was convicted of sexually assaulting female gymnasts including Olympic medalists, has been "stabbed multiple times" at a federal prison in Florida.
Larry Nassar sustained wounds to his back and chest following an altercation with another inmate on 9 July at the United States Penitentiary Coleman, according to reports.
The former USA Gymnastics doctor is now in a stable condition, sources familiar with the matter told news agency the Associated Press.
The 59-year-old was convicted and sentenced to decades in prison after being accused of abusing more than 250 athletes when he worked at Michigan State University and at Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics.
In 2018, several athletes gave victim impact statements, testifying that over the course of Nassar’s two decades of sexual abuse they had told adults, including coaches, what was happening, but that it was never investigated.
More than 100 women, including Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, collectively sued the US government for more than $1bn over the FBI’s failure to stop Nassar when agents became aware of allegations against him in 2015. He was arrested by Michigan State University police in 2016, more than a year later.
The Justice Department’s inspector general said in July 2021 that the FBI made “fundamental” errors in investigating the sexual abuse allegations against Nassar and did not treat the case with the “utmost seriousness.” More athletes said they were molested before the the FBI began taking action.
The inspector general’s investigation was spurred by allegations that the FBI failed to promptly address complaints made in 2015 against Nassar.
USA Gymnastics had conducted its own internal investigation, and the organisation’s then-president, Stephen Penny, reported the allegations to the FBI’s field office in Indianapolis. But it took months before the bureau opened a formal investigation.
At least 40 girls and women said they were molested over a 14-month period while the FBI was aware of other sexual abuse allegations involving Nassar. Officials at USA Gymnastics also contacted FBI officials in Los Angeles in May 2016 after eight months of inactivity from agents in Indianapolis.
Michigan State, which was accused of missing chances over many years to stop Nassar, agreed to pay $500 million to more than 300 women and girls who were assaulted by him. USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee made a $380 million settlement.
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