On July 27, 2021, in the women's gymnastics team final held at the Tokyo Olympic Games, American gymnast Biles suddenly withdrew from the competition, shocking the entire Olympic arena for a while.
At a post-match press conference, Byers tearfully explained the reason for the withdrawal, saying it was because of mental health issues rather than physical reasons.
Once regarded as america's greatest female gymnast, at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the 19-year-old Biles won 4 gold and 1 bronze, becoming a bright superstar in the women's gymnastics world.
After Byers withdrew from the women's team final, the United States team, which was widely expected to achieve a triple crown before the game, only won the silver medal, and the Russian Olympic Committee team won the gold medal.
More than a month later, on September 16, Byers, who was not wearing a gymnastics suit and wearing a formal suit, sat in front of the microphone of the US Senate hearing, and she cried and exposed the shadows that weighed heavily on her heart.
"I am a survivor of sexual violence. In order not to let anyone experience the fear that I and my colleagues experienced again, I came here. I condemn not only Larry Nassar, but the entire American social system that has allowed him to continue sexual crimes. ”
Larry Nassar, 58, a physician for the U.S. Gymnastics Team, sexually assaulted more than 330 female gymnasts in the 30 years that began in 1986.
In 2017, after being detained on suspicion of holding a pedophile film, he was sentenced to up to 360 years in prison after being exposed for sexual violence against girls.
But the Senate held the hearing to condemn the FBI and the U.S. Gymnastics Association and the U.S. Olympic Committee for their inappropriate response.
In July, the U.S. Department of Justice published a surveillance report about the FBI sitting idly by after receiving nassar's first sexual assault report in July 2015. A year later, in 2016, the FBI's Los Angeles division accepted reports of the same content, but did not investigate, the report showed.
During this time, more than 70 players were subjected to sexual violence by Nassar. It is reported that some FBI agents have said insulting words to the contestants during the investigation, such as "Is that all" and "This case is not so bad".
Biles testified alongside McKayla Marloni (26, gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics), Alexander Lesman (27, London Double Champion), Maggie Nichols (24).
"The people involved in the gymnastics team already knew that I was being abused by Nassar, and even the FBI ignored me after receiving the victim report," Byers said. That's why Nassar was able to continue to commit sexual violence. We've had enough. We are going to sue FBI key members and those responsible. ”
Maroni cried: "When I was 15 years old, Nassar molested me naked and I felt like I was 'going to die'. He's a (pedophile). The FBI dismissed the testimony of the team members, and the investigation was constantly postponed. ”
Lesman also revealed: "The FBI urged us to reach a deal with Nassar, and several investigators belittled us, saying it was no big deal. The FBI has allowed the investigation to sit aside for 14 months with clear evidence of abuse, and even the report contains content that does not match my testimony. They falsified the report. ”
FBI Commissioner Christopher Ray said, "Officers have acted against trust. Sorry to disappoint the victims. ”