Senators call for USA Gymnastics investigation

WASHINGTON (AP): Senators from both parties are calling for the creation of a select committee to investigate the US Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics following the sentencing of a former sports doctor who admitted molesting female gymnasts for years under the guise of medical treatment.

Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire says the Senate should investigate how Dr Larry Nassar was given unsupervised access to the gymnasts, allowing him to sexually abuse them over decades. Nassar was sentenced Wednesday to up to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing more than 150 women and girls.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa is also backing the special committee.

The House and Senate have each approved legislation requiring Olympics organisations to immediately report sex-abuse allegations, but the bills are not identical.