Dealing with sexual abuse: US Department of Justice investigates in the Olympic sport

The US Department of Justice appears to be investigating the handling of allegations of sexual abuse in US Olympic Sports. This was reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The investigations, which focus mainly on the gymnastics, therefore went back to the scandal of Larry Nassar. The former team doctor of the US Gymnastics Federation had been sentenced to several hundred years' imprisonment for child pornography and sexual abuse of at least 250 gymnasts in three trials.

The Wall Street Journal did not state when the investigation began and when it should be completed, but wrote that the Department of Justice is "investigating a major flaw in the Olympic system to respond to signs of widespread child abuse." The prosecution has already questioned several witnesses and collected documents from the US Center for Safesport, an institution set up two years ago to handle reports of abuse in US sports.

No answers from the sport

In a press conference, Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and USOPC Chair Susanne Lyons refused to answer questions about the Wall Street Journal's report. "Every case related to potential or actual abuse of athletes requires a thorough investigation, and we have worked and will continue to do all government investigations," said USOPC spokesman Mark Jones.

The US Olympic Organizations have been rocked by a series of abuse scandals for more than a decade. Sports such as swimming, taekwondo, speed skating and judo were held to account even before the Nassar scandal. The abuses were the subject of internal and congressional investigations.