Michigan State president Lou Anna Simon has come under intense scrutiny as the victim statements from the Larry Nassar case have shed light on the tragic failings from both USA Gymnastics and Michigan State during Nassar’s decades of sexual abuse.

Following Friday’s win over Indiana, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo was asked for his thoughts on the Nassar case and Michigan State’s leadership.

Izzo said after the win via freep.com:

“It’s been a very difficult week for me. As a father, it’s been a difficult week. I listened to the stories of courageous women. I look at the survivors who spoke and, in all honesty, Nassar permanently damaged and changed the lives of so many of those people. I feel like it’s changed the life of all of us at Michigan State in some way, shape or form. As a father, that’s difficult to even fathom. I hope the right person was convicted. “I have to say, though, that I have the utmost – the utmost – faith and respect for the leadership of our president, too, at Michigan State. That’s a woman who has dedicated over 40 years – and I’ve been here 33 with her, and I think I know what she stands for. So I hope and pray that those survivors continue to grow in their life. I hope we do everything we can to make sure that this will never happen ever again – not only at this institution, but any institution to be honest with you.”

Aly Raisman’s mom, Lynn, was furious after reading those quotes. She said:

Aly was among the 89 victims who issued statements last week. In all, more than 140 victims will speak at Nassar’s sentencing hearing.

Amid the outrage over him comments, Izzo apologized in an attempt to clarify his remarks. He said in a statement on Sunday:

“On Friday night in my postgame press conference, I used the wrong words when trying to express my belief that Larry Nassar and anyone else who broke the law should be held accountable for their crimes. My overall message was, and remains, that I have tremendous admiration for the courage the survivors have shown, and that Larry Nassar has permanently damaged the lives of so many people and deserves all the punishment that he receives.”



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