USA Gymnastics filed for bankruptcy protection on last Wednesday, a move the sports organization said will allow it to continue to operate while also resolving lawsuits filed by victims of Larry Nassar.

Nassar, the former doctor for the gymnastics team, was sentenced in January to 175 years in prison after allegations of widespread sexual assault reportedly spanned more than 265 victims. In the wake of the years-long abuse, hundreds have filed lawsuits.

Attorney Stu Mollrich told CNN that his firm Manly, Stewart & Finaldi represents 215 clients with claims against the gymnastics organization and that a recent filing in Michigan represents 345 lawsuit plaintiffs.

The claims made by Nassar’s sexual assault victims are covered by the organization’s insurance policy, though aside from the insurance proceeds, USA Gymnastics said it has no other assets to pay the claims, the organization said in a statement.

Recently elected chair of the organization’s board of directors Kathryn Carson said in a statement that the Chapter 11 filing is an important step forward in order to ensure that the sexual assault victims have their cases resolved fully and quickly than through litigation.

“Our sport is safer and stronger thanks to the bravery of these women,” Carson said in the statement. “The Chapter 11 filing and the expedited resolution of these claims are critical first steps in rebuilding the community’s trust.”

USA Gymnastics today filed a voluntary petition for protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana.

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) December 5, 2018

Last month, the U.S. Olympic Committee took the first steps to revoke the gymnastics’ organization’s status as a national governing body. However, Carson, who told the Associated Press that the governing body status is a big part of their revenue model, said that the court filing delays the decertification process.

上周三，美国体操协会申请破产保护。协会表示，此举将保证其继续运营，同时有助于解决拉里·纳萨尔性侵案中的受害者提起的诉讼。

纳萨尔曾任美国体操队队医。今年1月，他因多项性侵罪名被判入狱175年，据称，遭他侵害的女性超过265人。因为多年的性侵行为，他面临着百余起诉讼。

受害人的代表律师斯图·摩尔瑞驰向美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）表示，他所在的律师事务所Manly, Stewart & Finaldi代表215名受害者向美国体操协会提出索赔，最近该律所还代表345名原告在密歇根州提起了一项诉讼。

美国体操协会声明称，其购买的保险可以用于负担纳萨尔性侵案受害者提出的赔偿，但除了这些保险，已经没有其他任何资产可以支付索赔。

最近当选为美国体操协会主席的凯瑟琳·卡森在声明中表示，为了确保性侵案件得到比对簿公堂更充分和迅速的解决，根据美国破产法第11章申请破产保护是向前迈出的重要一步。

“因为这些勇敢的女性，我们的体育事业变得更安全、更强大。”卡森称，“申请破产保护，以及加快解决这些索赔，是重建社会信任关键的第一步。”

遵循《破产法》第十一章，美国体操协会今天向印第安纳州南区美国破产法院提交自愿申请，请求（破产）保护。

——美国体操协会（@USAGym）于2018年12月5日

上月，美国奥委会开始了撤销其国家管理机构地位的程序。但卡森向美联社表示，管理机构地位是体操协会重要的收入来源，向法院申请破产保护将推迟这一撤销程序。（财富中文网）

译者：Pessy

审校：夏林