Third Place Winner of Constantine Cannon’s Whistleblower Essay Contest: Leah Bechtold

The Constantine Cannon whistleblower team is pleased to share with you the Third-Place Winner of the firm’s Third Law School Scholarship Essay Contest on the importance of whistleblowers. That award (and the $400 prize) goes to Leah Bechtold, a first-year student at Indiana University McKinney School of Law.

In her compelling essay, Leah details the heroic efforts of  Rachael Denhollander, one of the original gymnasts to publicly speak out against the abusive actions of Larry Nassar, a doctor within USA Gymnastics. Leah explains how Denhollander’s bravery inspired her along with so many others and became a pivotal moment in the fight for justice and reform in gymnastics, ultimately leaving a legacy that transcends the sport and inspires other whistleblowers to speak up.

As Leah writes: “Rachael Denhollander made USA Gymnastics safer, stronger, and full of sisterhood. She remains one of the most unsung heroes of this modern age of whistleblowers, and deserves recognition for the enduring mark she has left on preventing sexual abuse in sports.”

We congratulate Leah for her take on whistleblowers and the broad impact they can have in making this world a better place for all.  We also congratulate her for her Third-Place finish in this year’s contest, which had scores of entries from dozens of law schools across the country.

Please read Leah’s full essay below.

We will be posting the remaining winning essays over the next week. And please check back with us soon as we launch our next Scholarship Essay Contest in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you’re not already a subscriber to our weekly newsletter, please sign up today so you stay up to date on the latest whistleblower and fraud news and developments.

The Importance of Whistleblowers

By Leah Bechtold

I love the Olympics. Truly, some of my greatest joys in life come from sitting around the TV with friends and family supporting the United States in the Olympic games. With this year’s summer games quickly approaching, my family has dutifully tuned into Team USA trials nearly every night. While listening to Laurie Hernandez’s commentary on the second night of gymnastic trials, I remembered her testimony against Larry Nassar in 2018 as she and more than 150 other women cataloged years of abuse. Yet without one key whistleblower, Nassar’s trial may not have occurred. Without one woman, others may have remained timid to share their own stories. That woman’s name is Rachael Denhollander. Undoubtedly, she is a hero.

In 2016, the Indianapolis Star broke the USA Gymnastics abuse scandal featuring an interview from Rachael Denhollander (Kozlowski). She detailed the abuse she faced at Nassar’s hands and bravely publicized her own name and face in connection to the unfolding story. This choice, slowly, gave other survivors the confidence to do the same. As the first crack in the overflowing vase of abuse, she set an example with her credible and compelling narrative. As more women came forward, she became instrumental in bringing the actions allowed by USA Gymnastics to public attention.

Following Denhollander’s interview, a wider investigation into Nassar’s actions took place. Her initial interview became that inciting incident that started the domino effect which unearthed decades of abuse to hundreds of young athletes. Her testimony became the bedrock of the court cases that followed; her poise and grace in the face of ruthless cross-examination continued to build the case around Nassar’s indiscretions. Her fearless attention to detail and refusal to feel shame for being a victim of sexual abuse were pivotal in the investigation and subsequent conviction.

In being a whistleblower, Denhollander gave a voice to victims who previously suffered in silence. Her restless pursuit of the truth within the USA Gymnastics team which she once trusted exposed systemic failures within the organization and others responsible for protecting athletes. Because of her, necessary policies, procedures, and leadership shifts became paramount and prioritized the prevention of future abuse. Her open and continued advocacy built a community of empowerment for victims and set a new standard of transparency in sports governance.

If playing a word association game, Rachael Denhollander may not be the first athlete people think of when asked to name an influential American gymnast. Many would mention Simone Biles. Maybe Nastia Liukin. Perhaps Shawn Johnson or Shannon Miller. And they wouldn’t be wrong! These women all challenged the status quo in women’s gymnastics and raised expectations for American women seeking competition at the Olympic level. Yet Rachael Denhollander’s impact on American women’s gymnastics goes beyond gold medals or US National titles. Rachael Denhollander made USA Gymnastics safer, stronger, and full of sisterhood. She remains one of the most unsung heroes of this modern age of whistleblowers, and deserves recognition for the enduring mark she has left on preventing sexual abuse in sports. Her bravery will not be forgotten.

Works Cited
Kozlowski, Kim. “Rachael Denhollander: The Woman Who Started the Downfall of Larry

Nassar.” The Indianapolis Star, 19 Jan. 2018, www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/01/19/rachael-denhollander-woman-who-started-do wnfall-larry-nassar/1048299001/.