McKayla Maroney on disturbing sex abuse, competing with broken foot

Publish date: 2024-05-08

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Former US gymnast McKayla Maroney revealed a slew of disturbing details involving sicko sports doctor Larry Nassar — including how he sexually abused her and lied to her coach about her broken foot during the London Olympics.

The now-25-year-old gold medalist — who is among hundreds of victims, including Simone Biles, sexually abused by the former osteopathic physician for USA Gymnastics — opened up about her harrowing experience on social media Sunday.

In a series of tweets and Instagram posts, Maroney revealed she was starved, barred from talking to her parents and told to “shut the f–k up” by an older teammate when she tried to speak up about Nassar’s abuse.

“When I was under ‘your care’ in Tokyo competing for Team USA at 15, and my parents weren’t allowed to stay in my hotel, or see me in person… When I was all alone, naked, with Larry Nassar on top of me for 50min balling. Who’s fault is that?” Maroney railed on Twitter about her time training ahead of the Olympics. Maroney was directing her ire at USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee, better known as Team USA, alleging they failed to care for her.

“My parents had to sign a waiver before me leaving for competitions or camps stating that I’m now in USAG’s care, & they’ll protect me. If they don’t sign it we can’t compete,” she continued.

Olympic medalist McKayla Maroney competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games — with a broken foot. Getty Images
McKayla Maroney said that she was forced to compete at the London Olympics on a broken foot after Larry Nassar lied about the injury. Instagram

“USAG says they’re not responsible for the abuse that happened. Well then who is? I was a minor in Tokyo & in London. We were not allowed to see our parents until after competitions, they were not allowed to stay at our hotel, or speak to us in person.

“Parents are seen as a distraction, we would get in trouble if we spoke to them. My mom would send me packages of food to my hotel in Tokyo, because I was starving.”

When Maroney opened up about Nassar’s abuse to an older teammate she looked up to, she was “told to ‘Shut the f–k up, and don’t ever say anything like that about Larry Nassar again,'” she recalled on Twitter.

Nassar was convicted in 2018 on charges of child pornography and sexual assault of minors. Getty Images

“That scared the hell out of me, so I listened, and didn’t say anything for a long time. I just suppressed it until it came up again in 2015,” Maroney wrote.

On her Instagram story, Maroney detailed the abuse she endured at the London Olympics in 2012 and how she was forced to compete with a broken nose, fractured shins, a bad concussion and a broken foot that Nassar claimed was an old injury.

“You guys know I competed on the Olympic team as a vaulter. I also came in ready for floor, but as soon as I got to London I broke my foot,” Maroney says in one video, claiming Nassar knew about the injury but hid it from the team’s coach.

Maroney said she suffered the injury because then-coach Márta Károlyi had the team begin training right after they flew into London – and told her to complete three balance-beam routines even though she was “jet-lagged” and not even competing in the event.

McKayla Maroney bandaged foot seen at the 2012 London Olympics. Getty Images

“And that’s when I broke my foot because I was dizzy as hell,” Maroney said. “Like, I felt terrible. I looked at my coach before the beam routine like, ‘Really? You’re going to make me get on this thing right now? I feel like s—.’”

At the time, it was reported that Maroney’s toe was broken, according to Insider. The New York Times had reported that Károlyi denied the fracture, saying Maroney’s toe was “bruised” and “strained.”

Maroney claimed that Nassar knew about her broken foot but lied to Károlyi, telling her that it wasn’t broken.

McKayla Maroney showing her “not impressed” smirk after winning a silver medal at the 2021 London Olympics. Getty Images

She added that Nassar “was the one who helped with the X-rays and passed along the information” and added that Károlyi later yelled at her over the injury.

Maroney — part of the “Fierce Five” in 2012 and best known for her “not impressed” smirk after winning a silver medal in the vault event — said she underwent “miracle surgery” after the London Games but being forced to compete “literally risk[ed] the rest of my gymnastics career.”

Nassar is currently serving a 175-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2018 on charges of child pornography and sexual assault of minors.

The Post has reached out to USA Gymnastics for comment.

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