Behind a pine curtain, Olympic training site under siege

 HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS — Bela Karolyi glanced at visitors outside the green metal fence separating the former USA Gymnastics training center from the uninvited, then sped away on his four-wheeler ATV. 

The world famous gymnastics coach had no comment Friday about the culture of abuse that elite female gymnasts say national team doctor, Larry Nassar, practiced during their training here and elsewhere.

USA Gymnastics severed its relationship with the Karolyi Ranch — where Bela and his wife, Martha, built Olympic champions — as a national training center on Jan. 18. 

The disgraced Nassar was sentenced to from 40 to 175 years in prison by a Michigan judge six days later after scores of women and girls said in court he had sexually abused them over two decades.

The Karolyis have been hunkered down at their remote ranch among the pine trees of the Sam Houston National Forest just outside this east Texas community known more for its death chamber than the training site for aspiring Olympians.

 No charges have been brought against the Karolyis, but the Texas Rangers and the Walker County Sheriff’s Office are investigating what happened at the ranch and who besides Nassar may be responsible for abuse crimes there.

Gary Jewell, the couple’s Houston attorney, said in a Monday email that a “full statement from the Karolyis is forthcoming.”

For now, a sign attached to one of several gyms on the 2,000 acre Karolyi ranch serves as a reminder of the site’s isolation:  “No visitors or parents are allowed on the premises during camp programs.”

The Karolyis are as much a mystery to their Walker County neighbors as the secluded ranch, which is accessible only by a paved road lined with pine trees. 

“I’ve worked here 16 years and have never seen them,” said Steven Winder, director of public works for New Waverly, the closest community to the Karolyi ranch.

That’s a common refrain in the neighboring town of 1,100.

“I have never seen ‘em,” said Walter Hesse, who’s spent most of his 49 years in New Waverly. “They’re pretty low profile.”

 Seated in his parked pickup outside Slotts Super Market, not far from New Waverly’s only traffic light, Hesse said he once briefly spotted a few of the female gymnasts who trained at the ranch.

He won’t get another chance to sight future champions. The future of the ranch as any kind of gymnastics training center is in doubt.

“Our most important priority is our athletes, and their training environment must reflect this,” Kerry Perry, USA Gymnastics president and CEO, said in a statement ending the organization’s relationship with the Karolyis. “We are committed to a culture that empowers and supports our athletes.”

Nassar’s court appearance last month was not the first time accusation directed at the Karolyi training camp for women gymnasts. 

In 2016, a former gymnast sued the Karolyis, alleging they created a “toxic environment where (Nassar) was given opportunity to perpetrate and continue his systematic sexual abuse of minor children.”

And in January, Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles told the Houston Chronicle she would be talking to investigators about abuse by Nassar at the ranch.

The scandal and its tie to the Karolyi Ranch moved Gov. Greg Abbott to call in the Texas Rangers. He described the sex abuse accusations “gut wrenching … deeply disturbing and demand thorough and swift justice.”

The Texas Rangers have not set a timeline for completing their investigation or discussed the nature of evidence they are collecting.  Walker County Sheriff Clint McRae welcomed their involvement 

 “They have resources to assist us that we otherwise would not have access to,” said McRae. “This partnership will be very beneficial to this investigation.”

Back in New Waverly, Kim Hunter said she sold Bela Karolyi fruit trees, fertilizer and corn from the feed and farm supply store she and her husband have operate in town for 17 years.

“He also came in and got worming supplies” for his camels, Hunter said. “He’s a wonderful man.”

From his cattle and real-estate-development office, David Thornberry remarked it is “hard to imagine” young women were abused at the Karolyi camp, adding: “Seems like somebody would know something.”

Ron Kowis, a self-described “wood butcher” in New Waverly, said he didn’t know the Karolyis but did sight occasionally young women from the training camp traveling by car to and from it, often with what appeared to be their parents. 

“I could see the expression on those girls’ faces,” said Kowis, 64. “It just wasn’t what you’d think when they’re elated. When you’d see this look of distress, I’d go, ‘what is the deal?’” 

Retiree James Henry lives down the street from Kowis’ shop. He said it made sense to him that the young women training at the ranch would have limited outside contact with folks. “That’s what their supposed to do when training,” he said.

“I feel bad for the families and the girls,” said Henry. “I feel bad for the Koralyi family after having such a good run.”

The Olympic success of the Koralyi gymnasts, he added, made folks in New Waverly feel “proud we are Americans.”

John Austin is the CNHI state reporter for Texas. Contact him at jaustin@cnhi.com.