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Olympic gold medalist, Simone Biles says Larry Nassar sexually abused her, too

Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles went public  with a statement on Twitter on Monday, accusing former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexually assaulting her.

Nassar pleaded guilty in November to seven counts of criminal sexual misconduct and admitted that he used his position as a trusted medical professional to sexually abuse young girls.

More than 125 people have come forward and said Nassar sexually abused them.

Biles is the latest athlete to come forward with allegations against Nassar - joining gymnastics stars like McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas.

Nassar was the team doctor for USA Gymnastics through four Olympic Games. He also worked as an association professor at Michigan State University from 1997 to 2016 and served as the school's gymnastics and women's crew team physician.

Nassar admitted in court to putting his finger into the vagina of his patients in cases going back as far as 1998, including girls under the age of 13.

Below is Biles' statement:

"Most of you know me as a happy, giggly and energetic girl. But lately ... I've felt a bit broken and the more I try to shut off the voice in my head, the louder it screams. I am not afraid to tell my story anymore.

"I too am one of the survivors that was sexually abused by Larry Nassar. Please believe me when I say it was a lot harder to speak those words out loud than it is now to put them on paper. There are many reasons that I have been reluctant to share my story, but I know now it is not my fault.

"It is not normal to receive any type of treatment from a trusted team physician and refer to it horrifyingly as the "special" treatment. This behavior is completely unacceptable, disgusting and abusive, especially coming from someone whom I was TOLD to trust.

"For too long I've asked myself, 'Was I too naĆÆve? Was it my fault?' No, I will not and should not carry the guilt that belongs to Larry Nassar, USAG and others.

"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.

"After hearing the brave stories of my friends and other survivors, I know that this horrific experience does not define me. I am much more than this. I am unique, smart, talented, motivated and passionate. I have promised myself that my story will be much greater than this and I promise all of you that I will never give up. I will compete with all of my heart and soul every time I step into the gym. I love this sport too much and I have never been a quitter. I won't let one man, and the others that enabled him, to steal my love and joy.

"We need to know why this was able to take place for so long and to so many of us. We need to make sure something like this never happens again.

"As I continue to work through the pain, I kindly ask everyone to respect my privacy. This is a process and one that I need more time to work though.


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