- McKayla Maroney, 22, filed the lawsuit against USA Gymnastics on Wednesday
- She claims officials made her sign a non-disclosure agreement to keep secret the allegations she was abused by team doctor Larry Nassar
- Gold medalist revealed on Twitter in October that Nassar had allegedly molested her for seven years beginning when she was 13
- Maroney reportedly received $1.25 million in the settlement to pay for psychological treatment
- Lawsuit says she suffers from anxiety and depression from the alleged abuse
- It also alleges that Maroney lost millions of dollars because the trauma of the alleged sex abuse drove her from the sport
Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney has filed a lawsuit against USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee accusing them of trying to silence her claims of sexual abuse.
Maroney claims in the lawsuit filed on Wednesday that officials made her sign a confidential non-disclosure agreement to keep secret the allegations that she had been sexually abused by former team doctor Larry Nassar.
The 22-year-old revealed on Twitter in October that Nassar had allegedly molested her for seven years beginning when she was 13.
Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney filed the lawsuit against USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee on Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court
The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, says the confidentiality agreement was signed as part of a financial settlement that was finalized months before the initial allegations against Nassar surfaced.
Sources told the Los Angeles Times that Maroney received $1.25 million in the settlement to pay for psychological treatment.
Her lawyers are seeking to have her released from the agreement, claiming it was in violation of California law because child sex abuse victims cannot be forced to sign non-disclosures in the state for settlements.
Maroney is said to suffer from anxiety and depression and is terrified that Nassar took photos of her alleged sexual abuse, according to the lawsuit.
The 22-year-old revealed on Twitter in October that former team doctor Larry Nassar had allegedly molested her for seven years beginning when she was 13
‘Nassar would continuously, obsessively and compulsively photograph McKayla Maroney and is believed to have possessed thousands of photographs of McKayla Maroney competing in gymnastics events, training, in everyday situations,’ the court papers state.
‘McKayla Maroney alleges that she believes photographs were taken of her while Nassar was sexually abusing her under the guise of treatment. McKayla Maroney is further informed and believes, and on that basis alleges, that these photographs were shared by Nassar with other pedophiles for their sexual gratification.’
The suit also alleges that Maroney lost millions of dollars because the trauma of the alleged sex abuse drove her from the sport.
Nassar is currently in prison in Michigan after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography in July.
He is still awaiting trial on separate criminal sexual conduct charges in addition to being sued by over 125 women in civil court who claim he sexually assaulted them.
The allegations of sex abuse first surfaced in August 2016 when two gymnasts accused him of assault.
More than 140 females have since filed complaints against him.
Maroney went public in October alleging that Nassar had abused her from the age of 13 until she left gymnastics last year.