Texas gov. orders criminal probe of gymnastics ranch
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a criminal investigation Tuesday into claims that former doctor Larry Nassar abused some of his victims at a Texas ranch that was the training ground for U.S. women's gymnastics. Abbott ordered the Texas Rangers, the state's top criminal investigations unit, to look into the Karolyi Ranch, which hosted training camps for more than a decade until earlier this year.
The Walker County Sheriff's Office is already investigating.
Several gymnasts have said Nassar abused them at the ranch. Early last year, three accusers spoke with "60 Minutes," describing what they said was an emotionally abusive environment at the Texas ranch. They said the circumstances provided Nassar an opportunity to take advantage of them and made them afraid to speak up about physical or emotional pain.
Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison last week. More than 150 women and girls have said he had molested them under the guise of medical treatment.
Abbott called the allegations "gut-wrenching," and ordered the state investigation because the claims involve multiple jurisdictions and states.
"Those athletes, as well as all Texans, deserve to know that no stone is left unturned to ensure that the allegations are thoroughly vetted and the perpetrators and enablers of any such misconduct are brought to justice. The people of Texas demand, and the victims deserve, nothing less," Abbott said.
The ranch is owned by former national team coordinators Bela and Martha Karolyi. USA Gymnastics cut ties with the ranch earlier this month, a few days after Olympic champion Simone Biles said she dreaded the thought of having to return there to train.
"I too am one of the many survivors that was sexually abused by Larry Nassar," Biles wrote in a statement she posted on social media. "Please believe me when I say it was a lot harder to first speak those words out loud than it is now to put them on paper."
"It is impossibly difficult to relive these experiences and it breaks my heart even more to think that as I work towards my dream of competing in Tokyo 2020, I will have to continually return to the same training facility where I was abused," Biles said in the statement.
Other gymnasts have also said they were abused at the ranch.
Nassar's accusers have said he would use his ungloved hands to penetrate them and other inappropriate touching when they were seeking treatment for back, hip, leg, foot and other injuries.
Victims blamed Michigan State, USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee for not doing more to stop him earlier.
MSU President Lou Anna Simon and the school's athletic director Mark Hollis have resigned amid outcry over the school's handling of allegations against Nassar.
On Saturday, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette vowed a thorough investigation into MSU, saying "it is abundantly clear that a full and complete investigation of what happened at Michigan State from the president's office down is required."
USA Gymnastics said last week its entire board of directors will resign as requested by the U.S. Olympic Committee in the wake of the sex abuse scandal.