(Ottawa) “I implore you, I implore you: you must launch an independent judicial inquiry”. Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who presided over the trial of medical abuser Larry Nassar, on Monday urged the Canadian government to move forward to end “the murder of the souls of athletes” who suffer abuse.
The outspoken magistrate – sentencing doctor Larry Nassar to up to 175 years in prison in 2018, she told him: “I just signed your death warrant” – testified before the parliamentary committee which looks at abuse in sport.
In her opening statement, she told elected officials that young Canadian athletes had approached her for help. “How come they have to reach out beyond your borders to demand an end to the abuse of minors in sport? “, she launched.
“Your Canadian athletes ask you for the 100% they give you […] Their health, safety and well-being are at grave risk. It is at risk every day that they perform with coaches who are untrained, insensitive, and whose philosophy of winning at all costs, ”insisted the Michigan judge.
A sign of the warm welcome to which she was entitled, New Democrat Peter Julian called her a “heroine”. Liberal MP Lisa Hepfner also expressed admiration for his work, but pointed out that a public inquiry was not the equivalent of a trial.
True, agreed Rosemarie Aquilina. But a public inquiry would free the voices of athletes who are suffering and give them a “safe space” in which to do so. And Canada, by creating a public inquiry, would become “a world leader” who would inspire “the whole world”.
The Federal Minister of Sports, Pascale St-Onge, made a commitment on May 11 to set up a public inquiry “quickly”. In the meantime, she has unveiled the outlines of her reform to transform the “toxic” culture brought to light by a series of scandals in several sports federations.
The Nassar Trial
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PHOTO RENA LAVERTY, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
larry nassar
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PHOTO GRAEME JENNINGS, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Simone Biles
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PHOTO SAUL LOEB, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Aly Raisman
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Larry Nassar was found guilty of having abused, between 1996 and 2014, at least 265 gymnasts for whom he was responsible as a doctor for the American Gymnastics Federation. At the end of the trial, Judge Aquilina allowed her victims to address their attacker. One hundred and fifty-six did. Among the victims of the ex-doctor are Olympic champions Simone Biles, Gabrielle Douglas and Aly Raisman, who sued USA Gymnastics for failing to protect them from Larry Nassar. The case was the subject of a documentary aired on Netflix, Athlete A.
With Agence France-Presse