GAGE coaches Al Fong and Armine Barutyan suspended by SafeSport (Pending appeal) 2/26/26: USAG terminates GAGE membership

[cuuf]

Honestly not too worried about the elites, many of them are already probably transplants from other cities that moved there. Its the DP kids, the L10s who are at the end of their season and are no where as mobile as the elites

 

[rlayt]

I’m going to guess this is why some members of staff are leaving.

 

[RedBirdie]

Gymcastic has posted the letter USAG sent to GAGE families

 

[RichardL]

I was a club coach and I just can't imagine how it must feel as a L10 trying to get in front of college coaches this season for possible recruitment. Or to be a parent who now has to decide what to do moving forward. And not to mention what a bizarre (probable) end to one of the most prominent gyms in US gymnastics, regardless of how you felt about their methods etc.

 

[RedBirdie]

Chow’s in Des Moines too, but none of them are commutable. They’d have to move.

It takes about 3 hours just to drive from Kansas City to the center of Missouri. Nothing is nearby.

I'm sure Chow still has wonderful, college-bound level 10s. But when was the last time he coached any elites? Genuinely, because I can't remember. Norah Flatley, maybe?

 

[hmmmm]

Will the gym just switch to NGA? The top athletes will still need to leave to pursue their goals.

 

[QuietColours]

And Chow's dealing with lawsuits for not properly vetting his coaches and having a coach with repeated history of sexually abusing athletes on the staff

 

[QuietColours]

I'm assuming we'll see Leanne's affiliation change back to Florida in the next day or two

 

[Ginger]

So Al and Armine were suspended, not surprising. But Davenport and Grimes, why?

 

[cftmoonlight79]

I think they were suspended for not reporting that Al and Armine were still at GAGE and not obeying the no contact.

 

[RedBirdie]

My understanding is Grimes was designated as the person in charge of GAGE while Al and Armine were suspended. Grimes knowingly allowed them to be in the gym, which is an undisputable violation of both their suspensions and of GAGE's duties as a USAG member club. So Grimes also got suspended.

Then Davenport was designated as the person in change and the exact same thing happened with allowing Al and Armine in the gum. So, GAGE gets their membership revoked, Davenport gets suspended.

I would not be surprised if Al and Armine get additional suspensions or are outright banned for life. Its very cut and dried: they are suspended from any and all contact with a USAG member club, USAG-registered gymnasts, USAG-registered coaches, USAG events, all of it. They knowingly violated that multiple times. They were warned to stop and continued to violate the terms of their suspension.

 

[makam]

Can another club move into the building. "Attention gymnastics fans, NOTGAGE, an exciting new gymnastics club is opening soon near you! World class facilities, coaches that are definitely not under investigation, ̶Ea̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶o̶r̶d̶e̶r̶s̶ fun for all ages!"

 

[BB12]

Yes. They will need to find a new gym.

So the Milton sisters and the Crain sisters have to find new gyms for the elite season.

Some comments on a Gage's athletes tiktok page saying the Crain's have moved to France to train

 

[cftmoonlight79]

Whoa, France?? They have family there or something? Hopefully just temporary and they can find a good club here.

 

[Ginger]

Whoa, France?? They have family there or something? Hopefully just temporary and they can find a good club here.

Per this, their Mom is from South Korea

Family Ties: The Crain Sisters’ Story • USA Gymnastics

In July, Lavi Crain won the junior all-around title at the U.S. Classic Presented by Saatva. Five months earlier, in February, her younger sister, Vivi, was named to the Junior National Team. Together, the Crain sisters are quickly making a name for themselves on the junior elite gymnastics...

usagym.org

But their name (especially first names, Lavienne and Vivienne) sounds quite French to me.

 

[cftmoonlight79]

Of course, the two gymnasts I'm most looking forward to have to go and leave the country

 

[RedBirdie]

Someone on reddit said the plan was for the Crain to move to France and have Al and Armine coach them there. Which, wild if true! And makes USAG's line about Al and Armine not being allow to "coach or train USAG member athletes anywhere--not in-person, not online, not at all," extremely interesting. That language was already interesting, but now it's really interesting. USAG clearly got wind of some sort of attempt to work around the suspensions.

 

[Ginger]

Can another club move into the building. "Attention gymnastics fans, NOTGAGE, an exciting new gymnastics club is opening soon near you! World class facilities, coaches that are definitely not under investigation, ̶Ea̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶o̶r̶d̶e̶r̶s̶ fun for all ages!"

That would be a wonderful solution, but I guess Al Fong still legally owns the building. And he is obviously unable to stay away (the way I understand the story, Karla Grimes was designated as 'owner' after Al & Armine were suspended).

 

[cftmoonlight79]

But wouldn't they still have to show to camps and competition with some USAG affiliated coach? I get you love your coaches and all, but are Al and Armine really worth all this? If you can move to France, then you can move to any elite gym in the country.

 

[BB12]

But wouldn't they still have to show to camps and competition with some USAG affiliated coach? I get you love your coaches and all, but are Al and Armine really worth all this? If you can move to France, then you can move to any elite gym in the country.

There has been some speculation they are looking into changing nationalities but there isnt much concrete yet backing that up. Neither are on US national team anymore which is adding to the speculation.

Following abusive coaches to new country is just insane from the parents. There are a lot of good options in the US that wouldn't hurt their kids ability to represent the US yet they seem committed to standing behind the Fong's at this stage.