*By Max Godnick*
Nearly 150 survivors of Dr. Larry Nassar's sexual abuse accepted the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPYS on Wednesday night. The women, who call themselves "sister survivors," directly addressed their encounters with the former USA Gymnastics team doctor, who was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison in February.
"To all the survivors out there, don't let anyone rewrite your story," said Aly Raisman, the three-time Olympic gold medalist who was abused by Nassar. "We may suffer alone, but we survive together."
This group of womenー141 in totalーare the latest to inspire the ESPYS' audience. Traditionally, The Ashe Award honors risk-takers and survivors of traumas, which have ranged from illness to social prejudice. Previous winners include Caitlyn Jenner in 2015, Michael Samーthe NFL's first openly gay playerーin 2014, and news anchor and breast cancer survivor Robin Roberts in 2013.
"It was probably one of the biggest ESPY moments that we've ever seen," said Josh Hill, senior editor at FanSided, in an interview with Cheddar on Thursday.
The acceptance speech comes amid criticism that networks and athletes should "stick to sports" and not comment on polarizing social or political issues. In February, Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham told LeBron James to ["shut up and dribble"](https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/19/587097707/laura-ingraham-told-lebron-james-to-shutup-and-dribble-he-went-to-the-hoop) after he criticized President Trump during an interview on ESPN.
The survivors' moment onstage was the most buzz-worthy part of an evening that mostly features awards such as "Best Team" and "Best Championship Performance." Hill said that those prizes, unlike the Arthur Ashe, fail to generate conversation because generally speaking, the ESPYS are "an award show that awards people for already winning awards."
"It's something that I think needed to happen," Hill said. "ESPN and sports in general can't just keep going on pretending like these things aren't issues."
For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/nassar-survivors-define-courage-at-the-espys)
The victims from the USA gymnastics sexual abuse scandal continue to seek justice. Survivors of Larry Nassar are seeking more than one-billion dollars from the FBI for failing to stop the convicted sports doctor when the agency first received allegations. According to a report released by the Justice Department's Inspector General, FBI agents knew
in July of 2015 that Nassar was accused of abusing gymnasts; however, Nassar wasn't arrested until December of 2016. The group that filed the claim includes Olympic medalist Simone Biles and around 90 other women. Louise Radnofsky, sports reporter at The Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
A controversial professional golf tour backed by Saudi Arabia tees off on Thursday. Today, two-time Major winner Dustin Johnson announced he's resigned from the PGA Tour ahead of headlining the Saudi-backed tour, called the LIV Golf Invitation Series. The announcement comes as the PGA tour has threatened disciplinary action for its golfers who take part in the Saudi golf league event, which will also feature notable golf stars like Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia; however, LIV Golf's CEO, Greg Norman, told The Washington Post that Tiger Woods rejected a contract worth 'high nine digits' to play in the tour. Chris Bumbaca, reporter for USA Today Sports, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Marques Ogden, former NFL offensive lineman turned author and celebrity success coach, joins Cheddar to discuss his career transition after his NFL playing days and how he overcame a low point to prioritize family and re-shape his life as a success coach.
Abe Stein, Head of Innovation at Sports Innovation Lab, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains why the top four spots on his company's 2022 list are European soccer clubs and discusses Sports Innovation Lab's plan to publish data on women's pro sports teams in the not-too-distant future.
San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Alex Barrett discusses why he believes taking his salary in crypto is the best financial decision for him, while Bitwage CEO Jonathan Chester breaks down how Barrett and other crypto investors can best utilize his platform.
The 2022 NBA playoffs are intensifying as four teams vie for an NBA finals berth. Tonight, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors can book their finals ticket with a win over the Dallas Mavericks, while Miami will be feeling the 'heat' tomorrow night, facing elimination against the Boston Celtics.
And with the growing popularity of sports betting, the NBA playoffs offers a potential money-making opportunity for fans. Trysta Krick, host of BetMGM Tonight, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is displaying his world-renowned collection of historic memorabilia to the public for the first time in the Big Apple. Irsay joined Cheddar News to talk about why he's bringing artifacts from the Beatles to Jerry Garcia to light now. "I borrow all this stuff, you know, and I just feel kind of an obligation to share it with the public and make it come alive if you will," he said.
Ryan Hammond, Executive Director of the Eagles Autism Foundation, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains how the Eagles Autism Challenge came together and how the entire organization, beginning with team owner Jeffrey Lurie, has been able to raise autism awareness to new levels.
Alex Glaze and Trysta Krick tell viewers which NBA wagers will be a slam dunk while Gabe Lacques steps into the batter's box with his best picks for MLB Opening Day.
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Alex Glaze and Trysta Krick provide their winning strategies for betting on the end of the NBA Play-In Tournament and the start of the playoffs, while Minty Bets breaks down Thursday night's MLB slate and pitches her top picks.
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