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USA Gymnastics Revokes GAGE Club Membership Over SafeSport Non-Compliance

The governing body cited continued failures to honor SafeSport bans, giving GAGE athletes until March 2 to transfer clubs to keep eligibility.

Overview

  • USA Gymnastics notified parents that Great American Gymnastics Express lost its member-club status effective immediately for alleged ongoing violations of SafeSport suspensions and the SafeSport Code.
  • The U.S. Center for SafeSport suspended co-founders Al Fong for five years and Armine Barutyan-Fong for one year in December 2025 following findings of physical and emotional misconduct.
  • After those bans, GAGE designated Karla Grimes and then Tiffany Davenport as owners; SafeSport suspended Grimes on Feb. 12 and Davenport on Feb. 18 for non-compliance.
  • Athletes registered with GAGE remain eligible for USA Gymnastics–sanctioned events only through March 2, 2026, after which they must join another member club in good standing to compete.
  • USA Gymnastics reiterated that suspended individuals cannot participate in USAG activities, coach, spectate at member-club meets, or enter facilities hosting USAG programs; Fong denies the allegations and says he is seeking arbitration.