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

[ArnoldRimmer]

I feel like everyone at GAGE has bought into the Cult of GAGE. Otherwise, why would you be there? Especially those who relocate from out of state. I've always been fascinated by the number of families that move from far away to go to GAGE. I have no idea what the attraction is, yet people flock there despite the history and rather limited success of their gymnasts.

Does it tend to be more relocaters or people who are local?

 

[RedBirdie]

For their elites, it seems pretty 50/50 of late. Maybe a few more locals. Off the top of my head, Kaylee Sath, Ly Bui, the Crains all transferred. The Finnegans moved across the state to be at GAGE, and I believe Kara Eaker did as well.

 

[IratePanda]

Just peeking at Twitter, it seems that some GAGE parents are furious with SafeSport for doing its job, not with Fong for violating his ban.

 

[Ginger]

For their elites, it seems pretty 50/50 of late. Maybe a few more locals. Off the top of my head, Kaylee Sath, Ly Bui, the Crains all transferred. The Finnegans moved across the state to be at GAGE, and I believe Kara Eaker did as well.

Kara Eaker started in small gym in Warrensburg, MO. Same gym as Alexis Jeffrey, and it's within driving distance to Blue Springs.
Ly Bui was in Iowa Gym-Nest, same gym as Greta Krob. Wish she stayed there

 

[AmiK]

I remember having a Facebook discussion on one of the gym parent pages regarding Gage’s policy that gymnasts in levels 8-10 were not allowed to date. And she was defending this policy, stating that it’s a serious sport and they don’t need distractions

 

[RedBirdie]

never underestimate how insane parents can be when it comes to believing their daughter might be a future Olympian.

 

[RedBirdie]

GAGE parents crying online about how they had no idea what "suspended from all contact" really meant or what the terms of Al and Armine's suspension are, or that they had no clue at all about the suspension because USAG never emailed them (wtf), or my personal favorite, my daughter is training for the Olympics, and we don't care about sour grapes from former athletes, how dare Al and Armine be suspended in the first place.

I get that they're mad, I get that they're lashing out and it's way easier to lash out at a faceless bureaucracy than the actual human beings that you personally know that caused this whole situation, I get that at the end of the day some of them are such utter psychos they would let Ted Bundy coach their daughters if they thought it would lead to Olympic glory....but I just can't even with these people.

 

[RedBirdie]

And Jackie Fie is on Facebook defending Al and Armine and GAGE. I restrained myself from reply to her comment with "shut up, you old bitch."

How did Al get away with blatant abuse for so long, and why did he think he was untouchable, even when suspended? Because people like Jackie have protected him for decades.

 

[Beamer]

And Jackie Fie is on Facebook defending Al and Armine and GAGE. I restrained myself from reply to her comment with "shut up, you old bitch."

How did Al get away with blatant abuse for so long, and why did he think he was untouchable, even when suspended? Because people like Jackie have protected him for decades.

I saw that too.

 

[Aizheng]

And Jackie Fie is on Facebook defending Al and Armine and GAGE. I restrained myself from reply to her comment with "shut up, you old bitch."

How did Al get away with blatant abuse for so long, and why did he think he was untouchable, even when suspended? Because people like Jackie have protected him for decades.

I thought it was very interesting and also made total sense that Malea Milton shared that she had been training on a “couple fractures” for three years and is now finally taking the season off to heal and be ready for LSU.
Great decision, but I cannot help but think that her coaches should have had her take significant time off before and that she’s only now willing to be specific about the extent of her injuries…

 

[RedBirdie]

Whoa, I missed that about Malea Milton.

 

[Hatsumomo]

And Jackie Fie is on Facebook defending Al and Armine and GAGE. I restrained myself from reply to her comment with "shut up, you old bitch."

How did Al get away with blatant abuse for so long, and why did he think he was untouchable, even when suspended? Because people like Jackie have protected him for decades.

Suspending Al and Armine and terminating GAGE's USAG membership is a good start, but now they need to overturn the rocks to find and oust the enablers.

 

[makam]

So normally, I am team "everyone deserves a second chance if they show they've changed" but around kids...nah. That said, if an adult gymnast wanted to hire Al Fong as their coach, well, they are an adult, their life, their choices.

But the coaches who feel the need to scream at or throw things at or otherwise abuse children who are practicing a sport (a sport. It isn't like they are training to defend planet Earth from the buggers or something) should maybe do some self-reflection and realize coaching isn't for them. Letting your ego and sense of worth get that tied up in how a child performs a sport has to be a type of mental illness.

 

[JDB]

GAGE's club member status is suspended?

I always love stories with a happy ending.

 

[Rich]

is it a life time ban or for a defined time

 

[Aizheng]

is it a life time ban or for a defined time

So Al and Armine have temporary suspensions (5 and 1 years, respectively).
But the letter specifically states that there is no set path to return at this point, so to me, it reads like GAGE will not be accepted again if the people involved stay the same. It seems like the gym will most likely need to reapply completely.

 

[QuietColours]

I also have to imagine the length of Al and Armine's suspensions are under review due to repeated violations