MSU/Nassar: Nassar allowed to see patients during 2014 investigation

Submitted by lilpenny1316 on

2014?  The school said they had no knowledge that Nassar was accused of anything until 2016.

I have nothing else to add.  Just sad about the situation.  Screw the NCAA, I hope the real authorities put a banhammer on that school.  

LINK: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2017/12/19/michigan-state-larry-nassar/964034001/

 

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RamblerRobotics

December 19th, 2017 at 8:21 PM ^

The fact that multiple girls complained about being sexually assaulted and the Title IX investigation concluded that the girls just didn't understand what a medical procedure was is beyond negligent.

I don't need 8 years of med school to know that a finger in my butt is not the solution to back pain.

Joined: 08/06/2017

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UnkleBuck

December 19th, 2017 at 8:22 PM ^

MSU had the opportunity to come clean and open the files on this thing, and they collectively wiped their asses with it.  When MSU's hired investigator stated there was no "report" to disclose, they chose at that pivotal moment a very slippery slope.  

Joined: 11/02/2013

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ThadMattasagoblin

December 19th, 2017 at 8:54 PM ^

Hopefully the same thing wouldn't happen at Michigan but two fellow big ten institutions have acted incredibly stupidly. Seems like there's a good old boys network at MSU with Simon, Hollis, Nassar, gymnastics coach etc.

Joined: 08/24/2011

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stephenrjking

December 19th, 2017 at 8:57 PM ^

I'm neither a lawyer nor a legal expert, so my opinion isn't worth much.

But this looks like a bombshell. There was, previously, at least some plausible scenario in which the gymnastics coach intercepted and thwarted all complaints. That scenario no longer exists. Absolutely no way MSU should have let him see patients.

And what kind of investigation is this? Did they talk to the gymnastics coach? Did the coach lie to enforcement officials?

Related: I've occasionally thought that complaints about the Ingham County prosecutor's office were overblown due to partisan rival emotions. But they whiffed big on this and I wonder if that will expose a larger issue with the office. This isn't just a sports rivalry complaint anymore, the pattern some fans were seeing looks real. Albeit wider than just football and basketball.

Joined: 03/15/2012

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LSAClassOf2000

December 19th, 2017 at 9:02 PM ^

Unbelievable. That's all I can muster.

They let an accused molestor continue to see patients? Holy shit. Unconscionable. 

I would love to know why there hasn't been more outrage among the Spartan faithful actually.

Joined: 01/07/2011

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Wolverine62bc

December 19th, 2017 at 9:03 PM ^

As we all know, there is a national climate that has “zero tolerance” in sexual harassment, past or present. The emotional scars and lifelong trauma is something that will never go away for the victims. My prayers go to them and to their loved ones who hurt, as well. Sadly, using the mask of being a doctor at MSU to help patients / student athletes and, instead, being a selfish sexual predator is a travesty! Accordingly, my daughters will never go to MSU - the gatekeepers of my most precious loved ones will go for higher education where they will safe, sound and allowed to learn in a culture devoid of fear and masks. MSU has failed and the only way forward are “new guardians” of safe harbor, that have integrity = “Doing what’s right, when no one is looking.” The country is looking now at Sparty and rationalizations are what MSU values, it appears, not its students - past, present or future. The Big Ten needs to boot a couple schools out of the conference and the people in leadership that feel asleep on the watch.

Joined: 01/28/2014

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NittanyFan

December 19th, 2017 at 9:27 PM ^

that article - he doesn't come off looking good at all.  

It's fine, IMO, if Nassar wasn't fired in 2014.  The investigation was still on-going, and "innocent before proven guilty" and all.  But Strampel's gotta lay some ground rules as regards to what Nassar can/can't do.  And enforce those rules.  Strampel didn't do the latter. 

Yeesh.  Seems like common sense.

Joined: 12/04/2012

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MadMatt

December 19th, 2017 at 9:56 PM ^

I hope the good guys go into East Lansing, and use a railroad spike to plant the biggest Michigan flag anyone has ever seen into the turf on the visitors' sideline.  I hope Michigan totally empties its bag of trick plays and wrinkles on this team, a la what PSU did to us this year.  I hope the final score is a rout on the scale of the defenestration of Rutgers in 2016.

Then, after the game is over, I hope the entire Spartan athletic administration is summarily executed, that all their fans are sold into slavery, that their stadium is so comprehensively demolished no structural support remains attached to another, and that the playing field is ploughed over with salt.  (Just kidding on this second paragraph, well, sort of...)

Cato the Wolverine

Joined: 11/06/2013

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BursleyHall82

December 19th, 2017 at 11:41 PM ^

I have a personal dog in this fight. My daughter is an elite gymnast who was seen by Larry Nassar nuerous times starting in 2011, and continuing for several years, well past 2014. Thankfully, all of her injuries were of the foot and wrist variety, so Nassar never got an opportuniy to try the bad stuff on her. I'm not sure what I would have done if he had tried.

I've been in Nassar's office numerous times as he treated my daughter. In our case, he never got a chance to do anything. There is an indeed a cult of personality surrounding him. He was a God in the gymnastics world, and he was treated like one. You were made to feel extremely lucky that your daughter got in to see the Great Larry Nassar.

MSU no doubt exploited that fact in every way it could. When you'd go into his office, you'd see the walls covered with autographed photos of Olympic gymnasts, all of them thanking Larry for being the World's Greatest Doctor. It was like a gymnastics museum in there. MSU absolutely used his status as a recruiting tool, especially among the gymnastics team. "Come to MSU! You'll have the great Larry Nassar working on you!"

As the father of a daughter who saw Larry Nassar on several occasions - I shook the man's hand and thanked him for taking such great care of my daughter - I'm feeling a mixture of anger, relief and rage. And I can say with absolution that it's a crime that MSU let him see patients back in 2014. They lined up the prospective victims for him, and did nothing to protect them. They need to pay.

One of them could easily have been my daughter, if she came there with back pain instead of foot pain. This scares the hell out of me.

Joined: 07/14/2013

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lilpenny1316

December 20th, 2017 at 9:41 AM ^

They deserves whatever journalism awards are given.  They broke the story, not the hometown Lansing State Journal.  Makes me wonder why?  Also, I noticed that the lead LSJ journalist throughout their coverage is not an MSU alum. 

I wonder how much press this would've received in the local paper if the story was solely in the hands of MSU grads.  Graham Crotch did say the only reason Dantonio was feeling heat regarding the stuff last offseason was because of 3-9, not because multiple players sexually assaulted women.

Joined: 11/19/2009

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saveferris

December 20th, 2017 at 11:46 AM ^

Jesus, can we get the University of Chicago to pick athletics back up again and take back their place in the Big Ten and just kick MSU the fuck out?  And show PSU the door while we're at it.

Joined: 07/02/2009

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BahamaMama

December 20th, 2017 at 12:34 PM ^

If I as a female patient get a hinky feeling during a medical exam, I have the option of going to another provider. This young ladies did not have that option and were basically forced by MSU to undergo repeat assaults. I hope they sue the hell out of MSU for gazillion dollars for years to come. Makes my stomach churn to think about it.

Joined: 02/02/2017

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Abe Froman

December 20th, 2017 at 2:37 PM ^

The name not being discussed enough here is William Strampel.  Heard that guy talk once... and heard many rumors since... and would find it hard to believe that someone that boisterous wouldn't know what is going on within his own medical school.

 

If he did know about the abuse and (potentially) for many years he may face the same scrutiny as the former PSU president.

Joined: 09/20/2010

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Abe Froman

December 20th, 2017 at 2:55 PM ^

And I should say I am not trying to imply in any way that he is complicit with all of this and I do not posses any knowledge on this issue.

 

Rumors I've heard have been in regards to him running the school with an iron fist.  At the speech, he bragged at length about being the longest serving dean of any medical school in the state (and openly insinuated that was for good reason).

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Adductor Magnus

December 20th, 2017 at 4:51 PM ^

What Strampel and others emphasized at length during med school orientation was professionalism, the responsibilities of being a physician, representing the school and the profession, avoiding poor decisions both in and out of work, etc. There was probably more emphasis on it than usual because of the Nassar scandal.

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