Former Olympians Suspended Over Abuse Allegations

Two former Olympians, Anna Li and her mother Jiani Wu, have been banned from coaching gymnastics for their abusive treatment of young athletes, following a nearly six-year investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Li received a nine-month suspension while Wu was suspended for a year, with Wu's husband placed on probation for nine months. Despite no sexual abuse claims being made, the investigation found a 'preponderance of the evidence' indicating physical and mental abuse over many years. Both coaches and parents of the gymnasts criticized the prolonged investigation, which SafeSport admitted took too long. In a separate case, Mariana Vasileva, a former Olympic team head coach from Azerbaijan, received an eight-year international ban for severe physical and psychological abuse of her athletes. These cases highlight ongoing issues of abuse and misconduct in the gymnastics community, prompting calls for stronger protective measures for athletes.