McKayla Maroney alleged on Twitter that former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar sexually abused her starting when she was 13, and in her revealing post described one of his "treatments" that have brought criminal charges and lawsuits, ESPN reported.
Maroney, 21, made the allegations in a post with the hashtag #MeToo, which was started by actress Alyssa Milano asking people to share their stories of sexual abuse and harassment in light of allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, The Independent reported.
Authorities arrested Nassar, a doctor for USA Gymnastics for almost 20 years, late last year on federal child pornography charges, NBC News reported. He had previously been charged with sexually abusing a girl at his home and is named in more than 60 police complaints and three lawsuits, per NBC.
The Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast joined more than 12 million people who have used the hashtag on social media, The Independent noted.
"Dr. Nassar told me that I was receiving 'medically necessary treatment that he had been performing on patients for over 30 years,'" Maroney's post alleged. "It started when I was 13 years old, at one of my first National Team training camps, in Texas, and it didn't end until I left the sport. It seemed whenever and wherever this man could find the chance, I was 'treated.'"
"It happened in London before my team and I won the gold medal, and it happened before I won my silver [in vault in London]."
ESPN said Maroney has become the second Olympic medal winner to accuse Nassar, noting that Jamie Dantzscher, a bronze medalist at the 2000 Games, charged that Nassar had abused her.
ESPN said that 125 women suing Nassar agreed in August to take the cases to mediation, which could lead to a settlement. The plaintiffs are also suing USA Gymnastics, Michigan State University, Nassar's employer, and other defendants, the sports channel said.
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