The U.S. Center for SafeSport has the power to end careers, shut down businesses, and reshape lives — often with limited transparency and few avenues for meaningful appeal. The recent termination of GAGE’s USA Gymnastics club membership illustrates just how far-reaching these consequences can be, not only for the individuals directly accused but for every athlete, coach, and family connected to the organization.
What Happened at GAGE
Great American Gymnastics Express — better known as GAGE — was one of the most storied gymnastics academies in the country. Founded in 1979 by coach Al Fong in Blue Springs, Missouri, GAGE produced Olympic and World Championship athletes for decades, including 2004 Olympic silver medalists Terin Humphrey and Courtney McCool, 2007 World team champion Ivana Hong, 2022 World team gold medalist Leanne Wong, and 2024 Olympian Aleah Finnegan.
In December 2025, the U.S. Center for SafeSport imposed a five-year suspension on Fong and a one-year suspension on his wife and co-owner, Armine Barutyan, following a multi-year investigation into allegations of physical and emotional misconduct toward athletes. The investigation became public in early 2023 after former gymnasts and parents raised concerns about the training environment at GAGE.
In February 2026, USA Gymnastics took the additional step of terminating GAGE’s Member Club status entirely, citing the club’s repeated failure to honor SafeSport’s disciplinary actions even after multiple warnings. Subsequent owners Karla Grimes and Tiffany Davenport also received suspensions. Athletes registered with GAGE were given a narrow window to transfer to another member club — after March 2, 2026, they would no longer be eligible to compete in USAG-sanctioned events.
The SafeSport Process and Its Consequences
The SafeSport disciplinary process operates outside the traditional legal system, but its consequences are no less severe. A SafeSport suspension can end a coaching career, strip a club of its ability to operate, and force athletes to uproot their training with little notice. Fong’s five-year suspension prohibits him from coaching, training, judging, or even contacting athletes in SafeSport-covered programs through 2030. And because USA Gymnastics revoked GAGE’s club membership, the consequences extend far beyond the individuals who were sanctioned — affecting every athlete and staff member at the gym.
What makes these cases particularly challenging is the nature of the process itself. SafeSport investigations can take years to resolve. Respondents often face limited discovery rights, restricted access to evidence, and a hearing process that does not afford the same procedural protections available in criminal or civil court. The burden of proof is lower than in a criminal case — SafeSport uses a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard, not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. And the consequences of a finding can be career-ending, even if no criminal charges are ever filed.
What Coaches, Athletes, and Club Owners Should Know
The GAGE situation highlights several important lessons for anyone in the gymnastics community — or any sport governed by SafeSport.
First, SafeSport sanctions must be taken seriously from the moment they are imposed. GAGE’s club membership was not revoked solely because of the original misconduct findings against Fong and Barutyan. It was revoked because the club repeatedly failed to comply with the sanctions — including allowing suspended individuals to participate in club activities. Noncompliance escalated the consequences dramatically.
Second, club owners and subsequent operators can be drawn into the disciplinary process. The suspensions of Grimes and Davenport show that SafeSport’s reach extends beyond the originally accused individuals to anyone who facilitates violations of its orders.
Third, anyone facing a SafeSport investigation or hearing should understand that these proceedings, while not criminal, carry consequences that can be as severe as a criminal conviction in practical terms. The loss of the ability to coach, the destruction of a business, and the reputational harm from a public suspension are life-altering outcomes that deserve serious legal attention from the earliest stages of the process.
How The Chetson Firm Can Help
At The Chetson Firm, we represent coaches, athletes, and sports professionals facing SafeSport investigations and hearings. Damon Chetson is a Board Certified Specialist in State and Federal Criminal Law who understands both the quasi-judicial SafeSport process and the criminal investigations that sometimes accompany it. Whether you are responding to an initial SafeSport complaint, preparing for a hearing, appealing a sanction, or facing a parallel criminal investigation, experienced legal representation can make a critical difference in protecting your career and your rights. Contact The Chetson Firm to discuss your situation.