Gymnastics coaches suspended over abuse claims as mom of alleged victim slams 'ruthless' tactics
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Two former Olympians have been banned from coaching gymnastics for their shocking abuse of young students. Anna Li, 36, was suspended by US Center for SafeSport from all USA Gymnastics-affiliated coaching for nine months and her mother Jiani Wu, 58, for a year.
![[Wu Jiani performs in the Women's Balance Beam event during that 1984 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/12/01/94000111-14274669-image-a-2_1736645659158.jpg)
Wu's husband, Yuejin Li, 66, was put on probation for nine months but not suspended, and will continue to run their Legacy Elite gym in Aurora, Illinois. SafeSport found a 'preponderance of the evidence' that the trio physically and mentally abused young gymnasts for many years.
![[Wu pushed a student into a beam, causing injury; forced a student with a broken foot to remove her orthopedic boot and run; assigned excessive conditioning as punishment]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/12/01/94000099-14274669-image-a-3_1736645665263.jpg)
There were no claims of sexual abuse, like those against former Olympic coach Larry Nassar, which prompted SafeSport to be established to investigate abuse claims. Wu is a former Chinese Olympic medalist and former USA Gymnastics national team coach and Li a former US national team member and eight-time UCLA All-American.
![[Li Yuejiu and Wu Jiani co-own Legacy Elite gym in Aurora, Illinois, where the abuse occured]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/12/01/94000105-14274669-image-a-4_1736645681832.jpg)
Li and Wu were suspended after an almost six-year investigation of complaints to USA Gymnastics that were made public in 2019. Both they and parents of the abused gymnasts complained about the length of the probe, which SafeSport boss Ju'Riese Colon admitted 'simply took too long'.
![[Li competes on the uneven bars during the Division I Women's Gymnastics Championship held at the University of Florida]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/12/01/94000101-14274669-image-a-5_1736645687728.jpg)
Anna Li competes on the beam during day 2 of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team Trials on June 29, 2012 in San Jose, California. Wu Jiani performs in the Women's Balance Beam event during that 1984 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles. At least 15 people filed complaints and SafeSport compiled about 50 witnesses, but others gymnasts and parents said they didn't report abuse or stopped cooperating because the agency was unresponsive.
![[Inside the Legacy Elite gym where all the abuse happened]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/12/01/94000285-14274669-image-a-6_1736645699588.jpg)
