CLARENCE PAGE: Larry Nassar scandal shows how the ‘twisties’ can take different forms

As I watched Simone Biles and 3 different U.S. Olympic gymnasts archer a Senate committee of however severely their complaints of intersexual maltreatment had been handled by the FBI, I was reminded of the time Biles abruptly withdrew from her lawsuit astatine this summer’s Tokyo Olympics.

The aggregate golden medal victor cited “mental health” reasons but fortunately bounced backmost into Olympic contention later. But her mentation astatine a quality league that she got “a small spot mislaid successful the air” stuck with me.

I learned astir thing called “the twisties,” a gymnasts’ word for a midair infinitesimal during their aerial jumps, twists and turns erstwhile they abruptly and uncontrollably suffer consciousness of wherever the heck they are successful their routine.

Indeed. As I watched her and her chap medal-winning gymnasts McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Maggie Nichols stock their horrific and heartbreaking stories of intersexual maltreatment by since-convicted squad doc Larry Nassar, it was painfully evident that gymnasts aren’t the lone ones who get mislaid successful the air.

Behind the glitter and glory of the expansive games lurked 1 of the biggest kid enactment scandals successful American history. Hundreds of girls and women, including astir of the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics teams, were molested by Nassar, who is present serving what amounts to beingness successful situation for aggregate enactment crimes.

Now, arsenic the young women’s grounds made painfully clear, we request to request answers to a batch much questions astir the FBI and the sports strategy that failed to support them, including USA Gymnastics, the sport’s authoritative governing assemblage and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

“To beryllium clear, I blasted Larry Nassar,” Biles said tearfully, “and I besides blasted an full strategy that enabled and perpetrated his abuse.”

Maroney, an Olympian successful 2012, offered graphic examples of Nassar’s repeated abuses, including a harrowing ordeal with Nassar “molesting maine for hours” erstwhile they were successful Tokyo for a competition.

But compounding her intelligence and carnal abuse, she said, was the evident indifference she heard connected the different extremity of the enactment successful 2015, erstwhile she was 19 years aged and reporting her ordeal to the FBI — earlier she had adjacent told her parent what Nassar had done. She said the agent’s effect was, “Is that all?”

Worse, she said, the FBI didn’t papers her charges for 17 months successful a study that besides made mendacious claims astir what she said.

But a caller time of reckoning whitethorn beryllium upon us, acknowledgment successful portion to the women who courageously came guardant to study Nassar’s abuses. Maroney’s allegations look to beryllium supported by a July study from the Department of Justice’s inspector wide that details failures of the FBI’s Indianapolis tract bureau successful its effect to allegations against Nassar.

Michael Langeman, the cause who interviewed Maroney, was fired a week earlier the hearing, according to quality reports, and his erstwhile boss, Jay Abbott, retired successful 2018.

FBI Director Christopher Wray, who became manager aft the Nassar lawsuit was bungled, apologized for the “totally unacceptable” failures successful his agency. That’s good, for starters.

Yes, it’s not lone gymnasts who get the “twisties.” Sometimes the radical we spot to look retired for their interests tin beryllium “more than a small spot mislaid successful the air” too.

E-mail Clarence Page astatine cpage@chicagotribune.com.