After the NBC’s Dateline documentary aired, Larry Nassar made news in Russia again. Generally, the coverage of the story in the Russian media has been mixed with some media just translating the English news as is, some adding “catchy” headlines like “US gymnast had wild sex with the team doctor” and some dismissing it as “women lying because they want attention” (you know, the same old story every rape victim gets).
This week, as far as I know, marks the first time a Russian gymnast made a comment since previously they (probably, wisely) stayed away from the topic. Ksenia Semenova was asked by Sport-Express whether she thought the scandal could happen in Russia or whether it would affect Russian gymnastics in any way. Despite the fact that Russia, of course, has their share of pedophiles (as any other country in the world) and despite at least three big rape\molesting scandals in the Russian/Soviet gymnastics, Semenova claimed that such a thing could never happen in Russia:
A: If talking about our gymnastics, about my time, I can say – there was nothing even close to it here! I don’t know why such “wonders” happen across the pond because here it would be unthinkable for something like this to happen – it’s impossible to imagine!
Q: The Nassar story, the recent confession of Korbut – could all this affect the image of artistic gymnastics?
A: I don’t know where all this flood is coming from. Perhaps, they want to remind [people] of themselves. Or I don’t understand anything about life.
Q: Could this affect the parents who want to sign their kids up for gymnastics?
A: It could, in the USA. Because there multiple Olympic champions said that it happened to them. It could affect the parents’ choice – how would they know that something like this wouldn’t happen again with their child? But it’s unimaginable in Russia.
It is cruel that the Russian media is twisting and manipulating the truth. Semenova’s comments were also disheartening and beyond ignorant to say the least. Sexual abuse can happen anywhere, period.
It is cruel of the Russian media to manipulate and twist the truth to their own liking.
Semenova’s comments are disheartening and ignorant to say the least. Sex abuse scandal is not limited to one nation, it can happen anywhere!