Raisman sues USOC over Nassar abuse

New York: US gymnast Aly Raisman has sued the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics over decades of sexual abuse by former national team doctor Larry Nassar, saying they put 'money and medals' before the safety of athletes.

Raisman, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, said in November that she was sexually abused by Nassar, who pleaded guilty last year to molesting female athletes under the guise of medical treatment for nearly 20 years.

"I refuse to wait any longer for these organizations to do the right thing. It is my hope that the legal process will hold them accountable and enable the change that is so desperately needed,” she said in a statement on Friday.

According to her lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, Raisman still suffers from "depression, anxiety and fear" stemming from the abuse. It was filed on Wednesday in California state court in Santa Clara County. 

The 23-year-old athlete was among nearly 200 gymnasts, including several Olympic medallists, who spoke out during Nassar's televised sentencing hearings about decades of abuse.