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SPORTS Wednesday 20 February 2019

USA Gymnastics hires NBA exec Li Li Leung as new CEO

By WILL GRAVES pervise Nassar, a team resigned under pressure in
AP Sports Writer doctor accused of molest- March 2017. His replace-
Li Li Leung spent two years ing them. ment, Kerry Perry, lasted
watching USA Gymnastics The 55-year-old Nassar less than a year when
struggle through the after- worked at USA Gymnas- she stepped down under
math of the Larry Nassar tics and Michigan State heavy scrutiny from the
sexual abuse scandal. A University for decades. He USOC last September.
former college gymnast at is serving an effective life The organization then
the University of Michigan sentence for child porn turned to former U.S. Rep.
who still considered herself possession and molesting Mary Bono on an interim
“embedded” in the sport young women and girls un- basis last October, but
while serving as a vice pres- der the guise of medical she resigned after just four
ident with the NBA, Leung treatment. days, saying she felt her
kept waiting for things to Leung said she has already affiliation would be a “li-
get better. spoken to USOC CEO ability” after a social me-
Only they didn’t. Leader- This 2019 photo provided by USA Gymnastics shows Li Li Leung. Sarah Hirshland and that dia post by Bono criticizing
ship changed. More and USA Gymnastics is turning to NBA executive Li Li Leung to help “both sides are commit- Nike and former San Fran-
more survivors stepped turn the embattled program around. ted to working closely to cisco 49ers quarterback
forward to detail their ex- Associated Press resolve the decertification Colin Kaepernick drew
periences at the hands of on Tuesday, a job she ac- during her college career request.” widespread scrutiny within
Nassar, a former national cepted in an effort to help and served as a volunteer “We remain hopeful, that the gymnastics commu-
team doctor. The United the organization and the assistant gymnastics coach USA Gym will be the (na- nity.
States Olympic Committee sport find a way forward. while earning two master’s tional governing body) go- Leung acknowledged she
began the process of strip- “I have bled, sweated and degrees at the University of ing forward,” Leung said. is well aware of the churn
ping USA Gymnastics of its cried alongside my team- Massachusetts. Her profes- Hirshland called Leung at the top but added, “I
status as the national gov- mates as well as other team sional stops include stints “an accomplished profes- wouldn’t have taken this
erning body. One of the members and other gym- at USA Basketball and the sional” in a statement and job if I didn’t think I could
U.S. Olympic movement’s nasts,” Leung said Tues- NBA. expressed optimism about have been successful in it.”
marquee programs was day. “And it really broke Now she returns to the the direction of the organi- USA Gymnastics surveyed
rudderless and fighting for my heart to see where sport she started in at age zation under Leung’s lead- more than 200 members
its survival. the sport was. We can do 7, hoping to prevent USA ership. of the gymnastics com-
“I was frankly very, very better for the sport. ... Our Gymnastics from being de- “I’m very hopeful that Li Li’s munity during the process,
disappointed in terms of gymnasts deserve better.” certified by the USOC. combination of experience including current or former
where the sport and the or- The 45-year-old Leung, who USA Gymnastics filed for and desire to lead will be a athletes, coaches, club
ganization had gotten to,” will begin her new position Chapter 11 bankruptcy positive force for change owners and judges. Board
Leung said. on March 8, competed as protection in December in in the lives of gymnasts all chair Kathryn Carson said
So disappointed that she a member of a U.S. junior an effort to reach settle- over the country,” Hirsh- Leung “has the passion,
felt compelled to come national training team and ments in the dozens of sex- land said. the personal commitment
home. represented the U.S. in the abuse lawsuits it faces in Leung is the fourth per- and the resilience to lead
USA Gymnastics hired 1988 Junior Pan American courts across the country son to hold the position of USA Gymnastics at this
Leung as its new president Games. She helped Michi- from athletes who blame president and CEO in the juncture.”
and chief executive officer gan win four Big Ten titles the group for failing to su- last two years. Steve Penny Leung’s to-do list includes
what she called “fair and
Hurricanes owner Dundon invests $250 million in Alliance equitable resolution” with
Nassar survivors so “they
can work with us to make
By BARRY WILNER not going to take people’s the fundamental chang-
AP Pro Football Writer money,” he said. “We have es that are necessary.”
Carolina Hurricanes owner to decide who are the USA Gymnastics has been
Tom Dundon is investing partners we want to be in criticized over the last two
$250 million in the Alliance business with. The Alliance years for its tone-deaf ap-
of American Football. already has great relation- proach.
Dundon also will serve as ships with partners such as Olympic champion Sim-
chairman of the fledgling MGM (Resorts). There won’t one Biles, herself a Nassar
eight-team league that be any money-raising. It will victim, openly challenged
began play on Feb. 9. His be growing the business. Perry’s inability to articulate
involvement came to- “It’s so early into this. We’re a path toward reconcili-
gether in a matter of days all in the entertainment ation before the national
last week, according to business, so we’re just mak- championships last August.
Dundon and Alliance co- ing sure to continue to do Less than a month later,
founder Charlie Ebersol, In this May 9, 2018, file photo, Carolina Hurricanes owner and what they have done, Perry was out of a job.
though Dundon had been CEO Tom Dundon takes questions during an NHL hockey news which is put out a qual- John Manly, a California-
monitoring the AAF’s de- conference in Raleigh, N.C. ity product people want based attorney represent-
velopment and debut. Associated Press to watch and consume, ing dozens of athletes suing
“This has been an extraor- giant challenge and op- est from investors, and if we and hopefully we have the USA Gymnastics, dismissed
dinary undertaking for us,” portunity, and as a startup had one person who could capital in place to take ad- Leung’s hire as “business as
said Ebersol, who less than you are constantly looking take care of us for a very vantage of new opportuni- usual.” Manly called Leung
a year ago partnered with for some peace of mind. long time, that would be ties. Things are a lot easier “an insider” and said survi-
Pro Football Hall of Fame When we got out of the first great.” when you have got the vors were “ignored” after
executive Bill Polian to cre- week of games, we saw “We won’t bring in any- capital and connections to asking to be part of the
ate the Alliance. “It’s a there was so much inter- body for capital. We’re execute.”q process.q