US officials opened broad investigations on Friday into sexual abuse in sports, while pressure mounted on the USA Gymnastics board of directors to resign en masse two days after the former national team doctor who molested female athletes was handed an effective life prison sentence.
A week of gut-wrenching revelations by gymnasts, including Olympic medalists Aly Raisman and Simone Biles, led to separate investigations by the US House of Representatives, the US Senate and the US Department of Education.
Those investigations seek to establish if other sports officials turned a blind eye to doctor Larry Nassar’s abuses and to examine allegations of harassment by officials in other sports, including swimming and taekwondo.
USA Gymnastics director Michael Burns, the head men’s gymnastics coach at the University of Minnesota, said on Friday that he had resigned from the group’s board, becoming at least the fifth director to do so as a result of the scandal.
The US Olympic Committee (USOC) has threatened to revoke the group’s authority to organize its sport if the remaining directors, a count that stands at 16 after Burns’ departure, did not step down by Wednesday.
Raisman vowed to keep the pressure on sports organizations, to see who else knew about Nassar’s abuse. He worked for the federation through four Olympic Games, but the allegations did not come to light until 2016.
“Everyone stood up for him,” Raisman said in an interview with ABC’s “The View.” “My work, and the army of survivors, we’re not done yet. We still have to hold these organizations accountable.”
A USA Gymnastics spokeswoman declined to confirm if the remaining directors would resign by the deadline.
None of the remaining listed directors were immediately available for comment.
Investigators from the US House of Representatives sent letters to the USOC, USA Gymnastics, USA Swimming, USA Taekwondo and Michigan State University, where Nassar also worked, asking questions about sexual abuse. US Senators also announced an investigation earlier this week.
“My heart breaks for the survivors of Larry Nassar’s disgusting crimes,” said US Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, whose department will also investigate Michigan State University. “What happened at Michigan State is abhorrent. It cannot ever happen again.”
The school’s sports director, Mark Hollis, retired on Friday, two days after university President Lou Anna Simon stepped down.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, whose office prosecuted Nassar, confirmed on Friday on Twitter that his office is investigating Michigan State University.
The USOC’s own investigation into how Nassar was able to abuse victims for years will include looking at whether any USOC officials themselves turned a blind eye to his actions.
Nassar, 54, was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison by a Michigan state judge on Wednesday for carrying out the attacks on young girls under the guise of medical treatment. More than 150 accusers recounted their stories in the courtroom.
USOC Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun called on Thursday for the resignation of all current members board of USA Gymnastics and outlined six steps that the organization must take to achieve governance reform.
“While the USOC encourages USAG to think and act broadly on reforming its culture, we also believe that reform must start with an entirely new board,” Blackmun wrote in a letter to USA Gymnastics’ board.
USA Gymnastics said in a statement that it “completely embraces” the requirements laid out by Blackmun.
The scandal could take a financial toll on the sports federation for years, sponsorship executives said. The group already stands to lose millions of dollars in revenue through the 2020 Olympic Games, as sponsors back away the executives said.
In Washington on Friday, the US House Energy and Commerce Committee, in announcing its investigation, said sports organizations “must have mechanisms in place to ensure complete oversight and prevent such abuses from occurring.”
The panel asked Michigan State to disclose if it is aware of any other abuse allegations involving other faculty members.
The US House next week will vote on a bill approved by the Senate in November to require amateur athletics governing bodies to report sex-abuse allegations immediately to law enforcement or a child welfare agency.
The bill makes clear that aspiring Olympic athletes can report allegations of abuse and ensures all national governing bodies follow the strictest standards for child abuse prevention.
US opens sexual abuse investigations in sports amid gymnastics scandal
US opens sexual abuse investigations in sports amid gymnastics scandal
LeBron James becomes seventh NBA player to reach 2,500 3-pointers
- The NBA’s career scoring leader made his first 3 of the night midway through the third quarter
- Next on the list is No. 6 Reggie Miller, the Hall of Fame Indiana Pacers star who had 2,560
NEW YORK: LeBron James made his 2,500th 3-pointer Saturday night, becoming the seventh player in NBA history to reach that total.
The NBA’s career scoring leader made his first 3 of the night midway through the third quarter of what was shaping up as another strong game at Madison Square Garden, where he came in averaging 28 points in 20 career appearances.
James had moved ahead of Kyle Korver into seventh place when he made his 2,450th on Dec. 4 in a game in Miami. Next on the list is No. 6 Reggie Miller, the Hall of Fame Indiana Pacers star who had 2,560.
Bakhashab clinches Hail Legends Rally title
HAIL: Saudi rally driver Abdullah Bakhashab and French co-driver Sebastien Delanuay stormed to a commanding victory at the second and final stage of the Legends Rally in Hail on Saturday driving their Toyota Hilux.
Bakhashab set the pace from the start, recording an impressive time of 04h.40m.10s. Their dominant performance saw them set the fastest time on each stage, underlining their control of both first and second round.
Despite Bakhashab's dramatic victory, it was Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Faisal who captured the headlines after he suffered a vehicle rollover accident just before the end of the second stage, but he overcame the rollover and continued until the end.
His unfortunate accident brought him and his co-driver Pablo Moreno of Spain to fourth place with a time of 05h.48m.24s.
Second place overall went to Essa Al-Dosari with a time of 05h.30m.53s, while third place was secured by veteran Saudi rally driver Ahmed Al-Sabban with a time of 05h.45m.05s.
During the press conference held after the race, Bakhashab expressed his happiness at winning the Legends category title which is part of this year's edition of Hail Toyota International Rally. He also indicated that he did not expect to win, especially after his absence from rallying for 15 years.
"I was following a strategy of taking my time so that I could pass Prince Khaled and the rest of my colleagues, and thank God I succeeded and was able to arrive first and win the title," he said.
Prince Khalid bin Sultan congratulated Bakhashab, saying: “Abdullah was able to win the challenge with his experience, and this is not strange for him as a champion with titles and achievements.”
On the accident that he met, Prince Khalid said, “Thank God we came out of this race safely, and I promise you that we will be crowned in the next rally. The challenge is still on with Bakhashab and the other competitors.”
Other participants in the race expressed their great happiness to participate in the special event.
Real Madrid’s winning run surprisingly ends in loss at Espanyol
- Espanyol inched two points clear of the drop zone, while Madrid’s lead was cut to one point after Atletico Madrid beat Mallorca 2-0 earlier
MADRID: Real Madrid’s winning run ended in stunning fashion after losing at relegation-threatened Espanyol 1-0 on Saturday in La Liga.
Defender Carlos Romero’s late goal beat the La Liga leader and moved Espanyol out of the bottom three.
Espanyol inched two points clear of the drop zone, while Madrid’s lead was cut to one point after Atletico Madrid beat Mallorca 2-0 earlier.
Madrid, which found out on Friday that it will face Manchester City in the Champions League knockout playoff round, traveled to Espanyol with 10 victories in its last 11 matches in all competitions.
It dominated and Vinícius Júnior thought he gave the visitors the lead in the 21st minute but it was ruled out due to a foul by Kylian Mbappé on Espanyol midfielder Pol Lozano.
Madrid was made to pay for its missed opportunities five minutes from time when Romero volleyed in Omar El Hilali’s cross, much to the home fans’ raucous — and surprised — delight.
Back to winning ways
Atletico went into its match against seventh-placed Mallorca having lost both of its last two league matches and with only two wins in its last four games after a run of 15 consecutive victories.
It took the lead in the 26th minute when Giuliano Simeone sprinted down the right before rolling the ball across the edge of the area for Samuel Lino to fire into the bottom right corner.
Rodrigo Riquelme hit the crossbar with a free kick two minutes from time and provided the through ball for substitute Antoine Griezmann to run onto and delightfully chip the goalkeeper and seal the match in stoppages.
Fifth-placed Villarreal crushed bottom club Real Valladolid 5-1 and Getafe drew with Sevilla 0-0.
Imavov stuns Adesanya with devastating knockout in UFC’s return to Riyadh
- 4th consecutive win solidifies Imavov as a legitimate middleweight title contender
- Newcomer Michael ‘Venom’ Page dominates Shara Magomedov in UFC debut
RIYADH: The UFC’s return to Riyadh delivered high-octane action, headlined by a stunning upset as Nassourdine Imavov knocked out former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in the second round.
In the co-main event, Michael “Venom” Page showcased his striking brilliance, outclassing Shara Magomedov in his highly anticipated UFC debut.
A new force emerged in the middleweight division. Imavov made a resounding statement, knocking out Adesanya just 30 seconds into the second round.
After an evenly contested opening round, Imavov masterfully set up his attack, using a feinting jab to distract Adesanya before delivering a thunderous right hand that sent the former champion crashing to the canvas. Sensing the finish, Imavov wasted no time, overwhelming Adesanya with ground strikes until the referee stepped in.
The victory — his fourth consecutive win — solidifies Imavov as a legitimate title contender in the 185-pound division. Meanwhile, Adesanya now faces serious questions about his future, suffering his third consecutive loss and second knockout defeat in a row.
Meanwhile, UFC newcomer Michael “Venom” Page lived up to his reputation, dismantling previously unbeaten Shara Magomedov with a flawless display of movement and precision striking, securing a unanimous decision victory.
Page’s trademark elusive style kept Magomedov off balance throughout the fight. Darting in and out of range with surgical counters, the 37-year-old Brit controlled the pace, frustrating his opponent, while avoiding significant damage.
With this dominant win in a higher weight class, Page has already proven he belongs among the elite. He is expected to return to welterweight for his next fight, while Magomedov must now regroup after his first professional defeat.
The rest of the main card saw Sergei Pavlovich defeat Jairzinho Rozenstruik by unanimous decision, using relentless pressure to control the fight. Vinicius Oliveira secured a technical and well-executed unanimous decision win over Said Nurmagomedov, while Fares Ziam outpointed Mike Davis in a closely contested match-up.
The prelims featured several standout performances. Muhammad Naimov earned a hard-fought unanimous decision over Kaan Ofli, while Shamil Gaziev stopped Thomas Petersen with a first-round TKO.
Terrance McKinney wasted no time securing a first-round TKO over Damir Hadzovic, and Jasmine Jasudavicius outworked Mayra Bueno Silva for a unanimous decision win. Bogdan Grad showcased his power with a second-round TKO against Lucas Alexander, while Hamdy Abdelwahab edged out Jamal Pogues in a split decision victory.
In-form Dembele hits hat-trick again as PSG thump Brest
- Luis Enrique’s side are still unbeaten domestically this season and now sit 13 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table
PARIS: Ousmane Dembele scored a hat-trick for the second time in four days as Paris Saint-Germain hammered Brest 5-2 on Saturday in a dress rehearsal of the upcoming Champions League clash between the two sides.
Dembele followed up his three-goal haul in Wednesday’s 4-1 win at VfB Stuttgart which saw PSG secure a place in the knockout phase play-offs of Europe’s elite club competition.
The France winger opened the scoring in the first half, and netted two more after Romain Del Castillo had briefly brought Brest level.
Ludovic Ajorque pulled another one back for the home side to set up a grandstand finale, but substitute Goncalo Ramos wrapped up the win for PSG with a late double.
Luis Enrique’s side are still unbeaten domestically this season and now sit 13 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table.
Marseille, who are second, can narrow that gap a little when they host Lyon on Sunday, but PSG are cruising to their 11th French league title in 13 years.
Dembele, meanwhile, is loving playing in a central attacking role rather than his traditional position wide on the right.
He has now scored 14 goals in his last nine games in all competitions, and is Ligue 1’s leading marksman with 14 for the season.
“I am well positioned in the number nine role. I owe it to myself to score goals,” Dembele told broadcaster beIN Sports.
“It was important to win today to keep our good run going and now we will see what happens in the Champions League.”
PSG’s record against domestic opponents this season means Brest will surely be dreading having to face Luis Enrique’s side again over two legs in the Champions League.
The teams will meet in the first leg on February 11 in Guingamp, where Brest are having to host Champions League games this season as their own Stade Francis-Le Ble does not meet UEFA requirements.
They were in their usual home stadium for this game, but they could not stop PSG making it 14 games unbeaten in all competitions.
Bradley Barcola raced onto a through ball before squaring for Dembele to open the scoring just before the half-hour mark.
Brest, who lost 3-0 against Real Madrid in midweek, came out fighting after the break and drew level five minutes into the second half thanks to a lovely low strike by Del Castillo from the edge of the box.
However, the visitors were back ahead before the hour mark as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was denied in the box but the ball broke for Dembele to score.
He then completed his hat-trick soon after, having been picked out by a superb Lee Kang-in pass.
Ajorque’s terrific hit made it 3-2, but Ramos came on for Dembele and made it 4-2 on 89 minutes at the end of a counterattack led by Desire Doue, who had replaced Kvaratskhelia.
Ramos, the Portugal striker, then scored again deep in injury time, his eighth goal of the season coming as he tried to set up a teammate but saw the ball break back to him.
Brest are eighth, four points outside the European places for next season.
Monaco play Auxerre and Lille host Saint-Etienne in Saturday’s other matches.
