‘SO HEARTBREAKING’

Top Gymnastics Coach Hit With Restrictions After Abuse Allegations

An adult trained in athlete safety must now be present to supervise Qi Han’s coaching.

An elite gymnastics coach was placed under coaching restrictions Wednesday after the United States Center for SafeSport received allegations of abuse. Qi Han, an owner of Everest Gymnastics in North Carolina, is now unable to coach any gymnasts without the supervision of an adult trained in athlete safety while SafeSport investigates the claims, according to the New York Times. He is also reportedly prohibited from unsupervised contact with his gymnasts via email, phone, or text message. The nature of the allegation of abuse against at least one of his athletes has not been disclosed. But Han has been dogged by accusations of verbal, emotional, and physical abuse for years. Another gymnastics coach who reported Han in 2016 for allegedly kicking an athlete said the investigation should have come sooner. “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,” OSEGA Dream Academy owner Monica Avery told the Times.