Twenty-seven years of silence were broken Tuesday morning, when Tatiana Gutsu shared her story of sexual assault on Facebook.
The former Olympic gymnast, who won the all-around title at the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, recalled her 15-year-old, beaten-down self in a vulnerable post accusing legendary gymnast Vitaly Scherbo of raping her in 1991 during an international competition. Gutsu, representing Ukraine, and Scherbo, representing Belarus, both trained under Soviet Union coaches during their youth.
“This is me being brave after 27 years,” Gutsu, now 41, began the post. “… Who rape me in Stuttgart Germany DTB 1991. [Vitaly Scherbo]. Monster who kept me in my own prison to be afraid for so many years.
“I know you will try to [defend] yourself. But my details are much stronger than your words. I’m strong now then ever. You can’t (break) me down anymore.”
Gutsu’s promising career abruptly ended after the 1992 Games, when she retired from competitive gymnastics and eventually moved to the United States.
Scherbo’s star only grew brighter after he left Barcelona as the most decorated athlete. Nineteen at the time, Scherbo won six gold medals, including the male all-around competition, and went on to dominate the world championships from 1993 to 1995. He finished his career with four bronze medals at the 1996 Games in Atlanta and also currently resides in the States, where he runs a gymnastics school in Las Vegas.
Gutsu, adding her voice to those of thousands of sexual assault victims who have shared their stories on social media as part of the #MeToo campaign, accused those who were bystanders to the alleged rape — Ukrainian teammates Tatyana Toropova and Rustam Sharipov — just as strongly.
“Tatyana Toropova who I thought was my friend and a team mate in the National team of USSR thank you for not being brave for me when I need it you the most to stand, stand up for me and fight for the women rights in such a horrific act, no means no,” Gutsu wrote. “You where there you heard everything you never stand stand up to protect me …
“Rustam Sharipov thank you for being a great body for your friend and not protecting me as a little girl at 15.”
Sharipov, who won a gold medal in the parallel bars in 1996, was hired in 2011 as the head coach of the Ohio State men’s gymnastics team. Gutsu owns a gymnastics gym in Michigan.