Qi Han, a coach at one of the United States’ top gymnastics training facilities, has been accused of physically and verbally abusing gymnasts over a seven-year span.
According to the Daily Mail, Han has now been barred from training gymnasts without supervision at Everest Gymnastics in North Carolina, which he owns.
Formal complaints say Han targeted gymnasts he deemed as “fat” and stupid, making them do extra workouts. He allegedy once even split gymnasts into “fat groups” and made them do 10-minute handstands.
The New York Times was shown a letter from the Center for SafeSport, a group created from a Congressional mandate that was supposed to root out abuse in American Olympic sports. SafeSport has long been criticized by gymnasts like Aly Raisman for its inaction and ineffective policies.
The letter says that Han is not allowed to have any unsupervised interaction with gymnasts, including by phone, texts or email. However, it appears that SafeSport is still allowing him to coach at this time.
According to The New York Times, Monica Avery, who is an owner and coach at OSEGA Dream Academy, told U.S.A. gymnastics that she saw Han kick a gymnast in 2016.
“The emotional damage all these girls go through is so heartbreaking, and it could have been prevented if Han would have been stopped years ago,” Avery said, according to The New York Times.
Everest gymnastics told The New York Times it does not tolerate abuse of any kind.
Olympic gymnast Ashton Locklear says she is one of Han’s victims. According to The Daily Mail she shared The New York Times article about Han on Instagram with the caption: “the fact he’s been a known abuser since 2012…healing.”
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