A champion American gymnast has filed suit against her sport's star coaches Bela and Marta Karolyifor failing to protect her from convicted serial sex abuser Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnasticsteam doctor.
Sabrina Vegayesterday also sued Nassar, USA Gymnastics-- the governing body for her sport -- and the Us Olympic Committee(USOC), claiming Nassarmolested her hundreds of times starting when she was 12 years old.
The 22-year-old alleges some of the abuse took place at the Karolyis' remote Texasranch, which USA Gymnasticssanctioned as an elite training center for national and Olympic athletes.
At least 265 female athletes -- including several Olympic gold medal-winning gymnasts -- have said they were abused by Nassarover a two-decade period, in the guise of medical treatment.
The scandal is the biggest in US Olympic history and has had far-reaching ripple effects -- ending careers at USA Gymnastics, the Olympic committee and at Michigan State University, where Nassarpracticed medicine.
Athletes have testified in court that girls were easy prey at the Karolyi ranch outside of Houston, where parents were not allowed, but Nassarhad unsupervised access to girls' dormitory rooms.
"I have struggled to cope with the effects of the repeated abuse I suffered," Vega said in a statement.
"USA Gymnastics, the USOC and the Karolyis failed to protect me and the other athletes in their care and I believe they should be held accountable." Vega is seeking more than USD 1 million in damages from a Texasstate court.
The Karolyis -- who are suing USA Gymnasticsand the USOC, and also are co-defendants in several lawsuits -- told Nbctelevision's "Dateline" in April that they never knew Nassarwas preying upon girls.
"I feel extremely bad. I don't feel responsible, but I feel extremely hurt that this thing happened and it happened everywhere, but it happened here, also," Marta Karolyisaid. Nassaris serving three prison sentences totalling up to 175 years.
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