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Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman says she was abused by Dr. Larry Nassar

Raisman says she was 15 years old when first treated by Nassar

DETROIT – Aly Raisman was the star of the Summer Olympics in Rio, snagging the gold medal along with her Fierce Five teammates, but Friday she did something much more difficult.

In an interview with "60 Minutes," Raisman admitted she was a victim of Dr. Larry Nassar.

Raisman had hinted in previous interviews about the alleged abuse she suffered, but this was her first time saying that she was also a victim as a teenager.

The three-time gold medalist is now 23 years old.

"Why are we looking at, 'Why didn't the girls speak up?'" Raisman said. "Why not look at, 'What about the culture?' What did USA Gymnastics do, and Larry Nassar do, to manipulate these girls so much that they are so afraid to speak up?"

READNassar pleads guilty to child pornography charges

Raisman said she was just 15 years old when she was first treated by Nassar.

"I am angry," Raisman said. "I'm really upset because it's been -- I care a lot, you know, when I see these young girls that come up to me, and they ask for pictures or autographs. Whatever it is, I just ... every time I look at them, every time I see them smiling, I just think -- I just want to create change so that they never, ever have to go through this."

Raisman competed in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, winning six medals overall.

She now joins dozens of other women who have accused the disgraced former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics team doctor of abuse.

In August, during an interview with The Guardian, Raisman said, "Even if he didn't do it to you, it's still the trauma and the anxiety of wondering what could have happened. I think that needs to be addressed."

Local 4 reached out to USA Gymastics, which released a lengthy response that reads, in part:

"Aly's passion and concern for athlete safety is shared by USA Gymnastics. The Safe Sport Policy strengthens policies that include mandatory reporting, defines six types of misconduct, sets standards to prohibit grooming behavior and prevent inappropriate interaction, and establishes greater accountability."

You can watch Priya Mann's full story in the video posted above.


About the Authors
Priya Mann headshot

Priya joined WDIV-Local 4 in 2013 as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Education: B.A. in Communications/Post Grad in Advanced Journalism

Derick Hutchinson headshot

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

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