Report: NCAA to investigate Michigan State for Nassar case handling

(WJBK) - The NCAA has launched an investigation of Michigan State University according to a report late Thursday night.

According to the New York Times, the NCAA is looking into MSU's handling of the Larry Nassar case. Nassar is the former gymnastics doctor for MSU and Team USA national team. 

So far about 158 women have come forward to confront the man they say sexually assaulted them under the guise of medical practice. 

“The NCAA has requested information from Michigan State about any potential rules violations,” said Donald M. Remy, the association’s chief legal officer  to the New York Times.

Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon has faced a firestorm of criticism calling for her to step down. Simon has contended that she was lied to by Nassar, like so many others at the school were over the years. Yet, in 2014 the university's suspension and investigation of Nassar due to allegations turned up empty.

Now MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson is apologizing for comments he made on a radio show that some said trivialized the suffering of victims of Michigan sports doctor Larry Nassar.

In stating that University President Lou Anna Simon won’t be forced out over the Nassar scandal, Ferguson told WVFN-AM this week: “There’s so many more things going on at the university than just this Nassar thing.”

She added that Ferguson “recognizes the suffering of these young women and had intended to refer to it as ‘the Nassar tragedy.’”

Rossman-McKinney is not representing MSU or the board.

Simon is under intense pressure to resign, with calls for her to step down coming from students, some faculty members and at least one board member.

Ferguson insists the scandal won’t tarnish Simon’s legacy as university president, saying he’s confident an attorney-general investigation into MSU will find its “senior people are not complicit in what this pervert did.”

Three more survivors are set to testify Wednesday before Nassar is sentenced.

--The Associated Press contributed to this report