An eager reader notices that Senator John Thune was among lawmakers calling last year for an investigation of the United States Olympic Committee’s handling of allegations of sexual abuse. (The May 2017 hearing at which Senator Thune mentioned the issue focused on “efforts to promote athlete safety, anti-doping, and prevent opioid abuse among athletes.”) Let’s remember how that issue caught Senator Thune’s attention:
In a letter sent Thursday afternoon to Blackmun, Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) said a recent Washington Post story about three aspiring Olympic athletes abused by their USA Taekwondo coach, as well as abuse scandals that have roiled Olympic governing bodies including USA Gymnastics, USA Swimming, and U.S. Speedskating raised “serious concerns about the extent to which the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is meeting its mandate to protect the health and safety of athletes” [Will Hobson and Steven Rich, “Senators Want Answers from USOC on Sex Abuse Policies and Procedures,” Washington Post, 2017.03.02].
Senator Thune heard about this issue because it hit the papers.
If you want government to take action to address real problems, you have to support a free and vigorous press to investigate and reveal those problems.