SafeSport Bans, Investigations & an Interview with the New CEO

SafeSport permanently banned Al Fong and Armine Barutyan-Fong; Arthur Akopian and Galina Marinova are facing yet another investigation; plus World Championships federation drama, major roster omissions, new mom Alice Kinsella’s all-around return, and an exclusive interview with new U.S. Center for SafeSport CEO, Olympic gold medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley.

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HEADLINES

• Arthur Akopian and Galina Marinova are under investigation by SafeSport AGAIN
  • Years after the Washington Post Investigation
• Al Fong and Armine Barutyan-Fong have been permanently banned by SafeSport
• In an interview, Ana Barbosu said she did not have the right to be happy in Romania, and chose to come to the United States
• World Championships drama
  • Oksana Chusovitina declined a spot as a vault specialist at this year’s World Championships
  • North Korea qualified its team via Asian Championships, but declined a spot to Worlds. Malaysia will take the team spot instead
  • The head of the Taiwanese Federation has been fired after the federation allegedly rejected the invite for two apparatus specialists to go to Worlds
  • Yang Fanyuwei is not on China’s Worlds team despite having the second-highest bars score in the world behind Kaylia Nemour
  • Georgia Godwin is not on Australia’s Worlds team despite being Georgia Godwin
• Alice Kinsella returns to the all-around with a 53.900 after becoming a mom last year
• Want to win a full commissioned episode? Enter our raffle by October 9th! This is the only way to commission a full episode. We will draw the winner at Worlds in Rotterdam!

INTERVIEW: SAFESPORT CEO BENITA FITZGERALD MOSLEY

• Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, 1984 Olympic gold medalist in the 100-meter hurdle and CEO of SafeSport, joins us on today’s episode to discuss SafeSport’s future, steps to improve data privacy, and resources provided by the Center
• Resources
  • In-Person Training Resources
  • Abuse Prevention Resources
  • The weekly CDD news releases a 125% increase in new visitors to the CDD in the first month
  • On extending the hotline hours for reporting abuse and misconduct
  • SafeSport investigator fired after arrest for stealing drug money

GYMTERNET NEWS:

• Nadia Comăneci joins the jury of the reality show “Românii au talent” as a judge
• The US Classic will be returning to Hoffman Estates for the US Classic in July 2027
• Virgin Atlantic replaces British Airways as the new official airline for Team GB heading into LA28

WHAT MEETS ARE ON?

• The Szombathely World Cup from September 18-20 in Hungary
  • Brazil is sending a top team of Rebeca Andrade, Flavia Saraiva, and Lorrane Oliveria
  • The United States is sending Dulcy Caylor and Tatum Drusch
• Asian Games are happening September 21-24
  • What’s the big deal? It’s a once every four year, multi-sport event, like the Olympics, but just for Asia
  • China is sending its Worlds team
• Paris World Cup on September 26-27
  • It’s the last FIG competition before the World Championships
  • We will get to see live scoring statistics for the first time!!

RELATED EPISODES

• • McKayla Maroney
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  • ENOUGH
  • Senate Bill 534
  • The History of the Gymnastics Gossip Message Board (GGMB)
  • Adult Gymnastics Revolution with Andrew Chupp

• Behind The Scenes Fridays at noon Pacific

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GYMCASTIC TOOLS, GAMES AND RESOURCES

• GymCastic tools:
  • LA 2028 Roster Lab — Now with auto-fill highest-scoring team, team comparisons and updated roster briefs.
  • Elite Score Explorer — U.S. Championships scores are in, plus new charting options and the vault bonus toggle.
  • International Gymnastics Calendar
• GymCastic Games
• GymCastic Newsletters
• The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer Barnes’ GIF Code of Points
• Gymnastics History: Gymnastics history and Code of Points archive from Uncle Tim
• Resistance Resources

Cover art, Fong and Kinsella Photos © GymCastic / Steve Cooper. All rights reserved. Photo of Benita Fitzgerald Mosley used with permission from SafeSport.