Al Fong, one of the most successful and controversial coaches in American gymnastics for parts of five decades, is being investigated by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for physical, verbal and emotional abuse, according to confidential SafeSport documents obtained by the Southern California News Group.
The investigation of Fong, which has not been previously reported, has been ongoing since at least June 2020 and is in response to approximately 40 allegations of abuse, according to four people familiar with the investigation and U.S. Center for SafeSport documents.
The time of when the alleged abuse took place ranges from the early 2000s to recent years, according to three people familiar with the investigation and documents.
While witnesses in the probe were informed by SafeSport this past October that the center was “approaching the issuance of the Notice of Allegations” in the investigation, current and former gymnasts who have filed complaints against Fong have expressed frustration by the length of the investigation and what they describe as a lack of responsiveness by the Center, according to interviews with participants in the investigation and SafeSport documents.
At least one gymnast said she was told by a U.S. Center for SafeSport employee that the investigation had been placed on hold until after the Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021, according to a SafeSport document and two people familiar with the investigation.
Kara Eaker and Leanne Wong, both coached by Fong, were eventually named to the 2021 Olympic team. Fong was a member of the 2004 Olympic and 2013 and 2014 World Championships coaching staffs.
SafeSport investigators have also admonished witnesses and potential witnesses “to be aware that it is a serious violation of the SafeSport Code to retaliate against any person who participates in the Center’s processes, including an individual who reports an allegation, who supports participating parties, or who provides information…
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