USA Gymnastics trying to move past Nassar as Trials begin

ST. LOUIS — USA Gymnastics is trying to shift the narrative away from the Larry Nassar scandal. While Simone Biles and the rest of the hopefuls looking to join the sport’s biggest star in Tokyo next month spent Wednesday preparing for the U.S. Olympic Trials, a few feet away Leung acknowledged true forward momentum will be difficult to attain as long as the mediation process with Nassar’s survivors remains unresolved. Leung pointed out that by her count USA Gymnastics has fully cooperated with “at least” six different entities that have looked into the Nassar situation. She added that, by definition, if USA Gymnastics pays for any part of an investigation it is not truly independent but offered “we are open to any investigative body to come in and investigate us.” While USA Gymnastics has preached the need for transparency in hopes of regaining the trust of its membership, things haven’t always gone smoothly. “I think that he was protecting the athlete.” Leung acknowledged Forster “could have chosen better words” to describe his interactions with the petitioning athletes, but pointed to the way he’s been praised by others for his openness that things really are changing at the elite level.