Qi Han (Everest) banned for life

[RedBirdie]

After years and years of investigation, Safe Sport finally handed down their decision. QI Han, the owner and head coach of Everest Gymnastics, has been banned for life.

Gymnastics coach Han banned for life for abuse

The gymnastics coach for a one-time Olympic alternate whose case dates to at least 2016 has received a lifetime ban from the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

www.espn.com

 

[Rich]

I dont remember the people who trained there. Were there any high profile gymnasts. THis is very sad but needed.

 

[rlayt]

Ashton Locklear was coached by him.

 

[RedBirdie]

Victoria Nguyen made a stop there before going to NCAA. Emily Schild, Gabby Gallentine, and Hayleigh Bryant all trained at Everest.

 

[JDB]

Is he the first coach to receive a lifetime ban for physical or emotional abuse?

 

[IratePanda]

Is he the first coach to receive a lifetime ban for physical or emotional abuse?

No. In 2011, Don Peters received a lifetime ban for sexual misconduct.

 

[rlayt]

I’m surprised Geddert didn’t but if he hadn’t suicided maybe USAG would have gotten to it.

 

[MaryClare]

What was their justification for not giving Maggie Haney a lifetime ban?

Was Qi Han’s behaviour significantly worse? It doesn’t seem so.

 

[Passion]

Wasn’t Han physically hitting and kicking people? I don’t remember if Haney was accused of literally assaulting gymnasts.

 

[barefoot]

I coached (rec) at Everest for several years, ending in 2012 when I moved away. This is so sad to me - Han and Chen hired me, and I truly believed they were good coaches in a positive environment. I've coached at several different gyms and left a couple of them quickly because it was NOT the kind of gym I wanted to work for, but I really loved Everest. I don't doubt that SafeSport had reason for this kind of punishment, but it makes me sad that Han is not the person I thought he was.

I was there at the same time as Ashton Locklear, Samantha Cerio, Taylor Laymon, and Kinsey Davis (Emily Schild may have been there, but I definitely remember the others but not her). I know the team climate can be very different from the rec class climate, but they were frequently working out as the same time as us - especially during the summer, when I'd work day camps and team workouts were during the day - and I never saw anything that made me think "this isn't right." I hate this so much for the gymnasts. I hate it for the parents who genuinely believed they were sending their kids to a "good" gym. I'm not a parent, but if I had children, I wouldn't have hesitated to send them to Everest. Han's fall from grace has been really eye-opening to me and it makes me feel sick to know that this must have been going on when I was there and I never had a clue.

 

[RAFIKI]

What was their justification for not giving Maggie Haney a lifetime ban?

Was Qi Han’s behaviour significantly worse? It doesn’t seem so.

On GymCastic Jessica said that the difference was having such a large number of reports, including multiple from international people. I think she said there were 80 witnesses.

 

[Sasha]

I’m surprised Geddert didn’t but if he hadn’t suicided maybe USAG would have gotten to it.

I've no doubt. The stuff that was already public was appalling, and I imagine that more would have come out over the course of the trial. I'm still a bit pissed that he was never held to account. Even if the world is a better place without him.