Xinhua News Agency, Washington, February 19 (reporter Wang Jiyi) The American Gymnastics Association announced on the 19th that it would appoint Liang Lili (LiLiLeung, transliteration) as the new chairman and CEO of the association, liang Lili is the fourth head of the association in the past two years.
The 45-year-old Liang Lili was once a gymnast and had fought for various university events on behalf of his alma mater, University of Michigan. Since then, Liang Lili has gradually set foot in the sports management industry and once served as an executive in the American League basketball (NBA).
The American Gymnastics Association said in a statement issued on the 19th: “The American Gymnastics Association is currently at a critical moment. Liang Lili has rich management experience and enthusiasm for gymnastics in the sports industry, she has great leadership and communication skills, and is very familiar with the gymnastics industry. She is the best candidate to lead our association. We believe that Liang Lili will bring changes to the American gymnastics association.”
The sexual assault case of Nassal, the former doctor of American gymnastics team and Michigan State University gymnastics team, is one of the most serious scandals in American sports history, hundreds of women, including several Olympic gymnastics champions, accused naxar of sexual assault. Although Nassar had already laid down the law, the bad influence of the case could not be eliminated all the time. The victims believed that the Project Management Association did not effectively protect athletes, and even questioned that someone from the American Gymnastics Association was involved in covering up the scandal.
The follow-up development of the case led to constant turmoil in the management of the American Gymnastics Association, and many senior officials resigned successively. The United States Olympic Committee also started the procedure of revoking the status of the American Gymnastics Association as the National Gymnastics project management and organizer in last November, and then the American Gymnastics Association applied for bankruptcy protection to the court because it fell into a series of huge lawsuits.
Liang Lili said, “I am very honored to work for the American Gymnastics Association. The American Gymnastics Association and gymnastics events occupy a large position in my life. I also feel sad and angry about what happened to the victims. I admire their courage very much. One of the focuses of my future work is to let them be treated fairly. I am also very worried about the future of the American Gymnastics Association and gymnastics program. I hope that the whole gymnastics community will unite to change the current situation of this sport and create a healthy and safe sports environment.”
Liang Lili said that she had communicated with hershland, CEO of the US Olympic Committee. She said the two sides would work together and said that the American Gymnastics Association still had hope to keep the position of project manager. “If I didn’t have confidence in the American Gymnastics Association, I wouldn’t accept this job.” Liang Lili said.