New USA Gymnastics president sees ‘positive trajectory’
Third-ranked Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic advanced to the Rogers Cup quarterfinals Thursday, beating Anett Kontaveit of Estonia 6-3, 7-5. In position to reclaim the top spot in the world ranking this week, Pliskova set up a match against Bianca Andreescu of Canada. Andreescu beat fifth-seeded Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-7 (7), 6-4. Pliskova finished off Kontaveit in two sets after taking three against American Alison Riske on Wednesday. The 19-year-old Andreescu improved to 5-0 against top10 opponents this year. Fourth-seeded Simona Halep of Romania, making her first start since beating Williams for the Wimbledon title, beat Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 6-2, 6-1. Halep will face the winner of the night match between Czech qualifier Marie Bouzkova and Latvia’s Jalena Ostapenko. American Sofia Kenin beat Ukrainian teenager Dayana Yastremska 6-2, 6-2. Kenin beat top-ranked Ashleigh Barty in the previous round. In the quarterfinals, Kenin will face sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a 6-2, 6-4 winner over 11th-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.
Kansas City, Mo. — Li Li Leung wants Simone Biles to speak up whenever, however and wherever the Olympic gymnastics champion sees fit.
It’s a freedom that Leung, USA Gymnastics president and chief executive officer, stressed isn’t reserved for the sport’s biggest star. If the embattled organization truly is going to make a cultural shift in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal, Leung believes giving agency to all involved — from athletes to coaches to parents to club owners — isn’t just encouraged but required.
“Historically, our organization has silenced our gymnasts and I am 100% supportive of giving our athletes a voice,” Leung said Thursday in her first extended public remarks since taking over in March. “Our athletes should be able to say what they feel and be comfortable doing so. I understand that we have let down many athletes, we have let down Simone, and she needs time to heal from that. If voicing her concerns and her feelings is one way to do that, I am completely supportive of that.”
Biles took USA Gymnastics, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the FBI to task on Wednesday, angry over the findings in a congressional report that revealed a series of mistakes that allowed Nassar — a former team doctor for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University — to abuse athletes even after victims began to come forward.
“You literally had one job and you couldn’t protect us,” said Biles, who is among the hundreds of women abused by Nassar under the guise of medical treatment.
Leung understands Biles’ anger and her importance as a leading advocate for change. Leung said the two hugged and chatted briefly about setting up a time to talk in depth after the national championships wrap up.
In a way, Leung’s relationship with Biles mirrors the challenges she faces as the organization’s fourth president and CEO since March 2017. Leung played no role in creating the environment that let Nassar’s behavior to run unchecked for so long, a path that led to Nassar spending the rest of his life in prison and pushed one of the U.S. Olympic movement’s marquee programs to the brink of dissolution.
Yet Leung, a former collegiate gymnast, came forward anyway in an attempt to steer USA Gymnastics forward. The organization filed for bankruptcy last November to consolidate the dozens of civil lawsuits filed against it by Nassar victims, a move that also stayed the USOPC’s attempt to strip USA Gymnastics of its role as the sport’s national governing body.
The lawsuits are now in mediation in federal court in Indiana, something Leung hopes can be resolved in a “relatively efficient and short amount of time.” Leung said the organization remains in contact with the USOPC about the steps it is taking to re-create itself.
“We need to take steps to demonstrate why we should remain the NGB of gymnastics,” she said, citing leadership stability, financial stability, athlete safety and rebuilding trust within the community.
Leung said she has spoken with more than 400 members of the gymnastics community — including Nassar victims — in an attempt to create an open dialogue about what USA Gymnastics needs to become if it wants to survive.
USA Gymnastics is beefing up its staff to deal with the long road ahead.