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Nassar judge says gymnastics still failing athletes despite reforms · GNN Daily Breaking News

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  Speaker 1: Michigan Circuit Court Judge Rosemary Aquilina, who famously sentenced former
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  Speaker 1: USA Gymnastics team Dr. Larry Nassar, has warned that the
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  Speaker 1: global gymnastics establishment continues to fail young athletes despite years
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  Speaker 1: of promised institutional reforms. Speaking at a public event organized
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  Speaker 1: by athlete advocacy group Gymnasts for Change, the jurist emphasized
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  Speaker 1: that administrative shifts and procedural updates across governing bodies have
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  Speaker 1: failed to dismantle a deeply rooted culture that prioritizes winning
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  Speaker 1: medals and institutional reputation over fundamental human rights and physical safety.
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  Speaker 1: Her sharp remarks come as international sports organizations prepare to
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  Speaker 1: appoint new leadership, bringing renewed scrutiny to athlete protection protocols
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  Speaker 1: across the sport. Judge Aquilina highlighted that while high-profile investigations
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  Speaker 1: and public apologies followed the exposure of systemic sexual, physical,
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  Speaker 1: and emotional abuse, many sporting institutions still treat athlete welfare
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  Speaker 1: as a secondary concern. Echoing concerns raised by survivor advocates
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  Speaker 1: and international rights observers, Aquilina pointed out that simple, low-cost
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  Speaker 1: protective measures, such as mandatory Know Your Rights notices displayed
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  Speaker 1: prominently in training centers, remain widely neglected by national federations.
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  Speaker 1: She stressed that true systemic change requires absolute transparency, an
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  Speaker 1: immediate end to enforced nondisclosure agreements, and a willingness by
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  Speaker 1: sports leaders to give athletes a direct, meaningful voice in governance.
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  Speaker 1: The judges' critique reflects mounting frustration among survivors and advocacy
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  Speaker 1: organizations who contend that bystander accountability and whistleblower protections remain
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  Speaker 1: dangerously weak across international athletic organizations. While several governing bodies
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  Speaker 1: have established independent reporting agencies and updated safety codes since
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  Speaker 1: the Nassar scandal unfolded, Critics argue that enforcement mechanisms remain
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  Speaker 1: inconsistent and that complicit coaches and officials are too frequently
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  Speaker 1: reassigned rather than permanently removed from the sport. As athlete
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  Speaker 1: groups unite globally to demand independent judicial oversight and stricter accountability,
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  Speaker 1: Aquilina emphasized that eliminating the risk of abuse remains the
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  Speaker 1: only acceptable benchmark for success. urging current sports administrators to
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  Speaker 1: replace silence and inaction with immediate, uncompromising protection for every competitor.