In recent years, how we look at the Olympics and elite sports has begun to change—driven by cases like that of Larry Nassar, the team doctor who for years and years got away with sexually assaulting and sexually abusing girls and young women. Marci Hamilton, the founder and CEO of CHILD USA, a think tank dedicated to child abuse and neglect, lead a case autopsy, conducted by subject-matter experts to find out how this was allowed to happen. And how can we prevent it from ever happening again? The Game Over Commission explored the toxic culture of sports, which values medals and money over athlete well-being. Hamilton joined us to discuss what the commission discovered, and what must be done to allow children and young adults to experience the joy of sports without the danger of abuse. Take a listen.
Topics in this episode:
- The Larry Nassar case (2:28)
- Game Over Commission (3:44)
- Toxic culture in elite sports (7:27)
- The economics of sports and pressures on athletes (12:41)
- Near-zero regulation (17:44)
- What parents need to know (27:17)
- Total power, zero oversight: Team doctors (29:17)
- Best child protection policies? (38:55)
- Bankruptcy used against victims (40:44)
Links:
AAU – Amateur Athletic Union
IOC – International Olympic Committee
NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association
USOC – U.S. Olympic Committee
USOPC – U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee
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