It’s official! USA Gymnastics is entering a brand-new chapter. In a major shake-up, the organization announced on Thursday, June 6, that its president and CEO, who has been leading since 2019, will step down at the end of the year. Wait… what? Yes, you read that right. Just months after a blockbuster Olympic run, this move is turning heads. Why now, when things are finally going so right? This moment doesn’t just close a leadership chapter; it ends an era that saw USA Gymnastics rise from scandal to strength. So, who’s the woman behind this massive transformation?
Li Li Leung, a 52-year-old American businesswoman, former elite gymnast, and ex-NBA executive, is the woman behind USA Gymnastics’ remarkable turnaround. She took over as president and CEO in February 2019, stepping into what many called a burning building. But let’s rewind for a second. When Leung took the job, USA Gymnastics was in absolute crisis.
The Larry Nassar abuse scandal had shattered public trust. Bankruptcy had been filed. Sponsors had pulled out. And the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee was actively considering stripping the federation of its national governing status. The organization looked like a lost cause, but Leung walked straight into the fire with purpose and vision.
She rebuilt the organization’s culture from the ground up, prioritizing athlete safety and rights, negotiating a landmark settlement with survivors, and bringing big-name sponsors like Nike back on board. And just look at what’s happened under her watch: The women’s team struck gold in Paris 2024. The men?
Bronze, a massive step forward. Simone Biles took home three golds and a silver, and Team USA finished second overall in gymnastics medals. But beyond the medals, it’s the structural change that’s perhaps even more important. Still, why now? Why leave when things are going so well? Leung says it’s not burnout, but timing. She wanted to give her successor a long runway toward LA 2028.
“It would be unfair of me to tell the board in 2027, ‘Hey, I’m out,’” she explained. The search for the next leader starts now, and Leung will be a part of it. And honestly? She proved the doubters wrong. When many called it career suicide, Leung saw a mission, and she completed it with strength. But even with all her success, Leung wasn’t immune to sharp criticism along the way.
Li Li Leung took down USA Gymnastics’ biggest crisis
When Li Li Leung took over as President and CEO of USA Gymnastics in March 2019, she stepped into a mess. Just after starting, she stirred up controversy with a comment about Larry Nassar, saying she had been treated by him but wasn’t abused because her coach was present. That didn’t go down well, especially with survivors like Aly Raisman, who felt the comment missed the bigger picture.
Leung quickly apologized, admitting her experience was different and her words came off as insensitive. But Leung didn’t back down. She jumped straight into fixing the organization’s broken culture. Under her watch, USA Gymnastics introduced the groundbreaking Athlete Bill of Rights and pushed for athlete safety like never before. Mental health programs were introduced.
The national team funding model was restructured for greater equity. And the culture? According to Biles herself, it’s shifted for the better. Sure, there were bumps along the way, like when she hired Dr. Edward Nyman as USAG’s first-ever full-time sports medicine director. He was removed just one day later after it surfaced that his wife’s gym had been flagged for safety issues.
Leung took full responsibility and vowed to improve the hiring vetting process going forward. Her leadership even earned her spots on major Olympic committees, proving she was becoming a respected voice internationally. Before all this, Leung was no stranger to sports. She started at age 7, made the U.S. junior national training team, and even competed at the 1988 Junior Pan American Games.
Later, she became a four-year varsity gymnast at the University of Michigan, where she helped secure four Big Ten titles. Academically, she didn’t slow down either, earning a BA in Psychology from Michigan and later dual master’s degrees in Sports Management and Business Administration from UMass Amherst. Li Li Leung may have had a few stumbles, but her legacy is one of transformation, leading USAG from the brink to a more transparent, athlete-centered future.
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