Newly elected USA Gymnastics athletes council member Anna Li and her mother Jiani Wu, an Olympic medalist for China, are being investigated for verbal and emotional abuse of young gymnasts, the Southern California News Group has learned.

A Washington state investigator hired by USA Gymnastics has contacted at least four families with daughters who trained under Li and Wu at Legacy Elite Gymnastics in Aurora, Illinois, according to four people familiar with the investigation. The families were asked about allegations of verbal and emotional abuse, four people said.

The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed with USA Gymnastics this month, according to a person interviewed by the investigator.

Li and Wu “adamantly and vehemently deny” abusing young gymnasts, said Sam L. Amirante, an attorney representing the women.

“They’re really sweet people. I’ve never seen anything like (abuse). They really care about the kids and are great coaches,” continued Amirante, who said his daughter has trained at Legacy.

Amirante first gained national attention while representing serial killer John Wayne Gacy. Amirante is author of “John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster.”

USA Gymnastics said in a statement “Athlete safety and well-being are top priorities for USA Gymnastics, and all misconduct complaints and concerns are taken very seriously. The athlete-safety process is confidential, and USA Gymnastics only comments on a membership matter if and when the resolution involves a public-facing result.”

Li, an alternate on the gold medal-winning 2012 U.S. Olympic team and former UCLA All-American was selected by the USA Gymnastics Athletes’ Council in June to join the 10-member group that represents athletes with the governing body’s board of directors. Li replaced Terin Humphrey, an Olympic medalist, who was voted off council by its members in May after controversies including drawing widespread criticism for a meme she posted on her Facebook page.

“What Champions consider coaching is (what) the entitled consider abuse. Parents if your son is gonna be great he will take some (expletive) chewing along the way. Get ready!” the meme said.

Li will complete Humphrey’s term which expires this year with the option of running for a full term.

Legacy is owned by Li’s parents, Wu and her husband Yuejin Li. Wu earned a bronze medal with China in the team competition at the 1984 Olympics. She later served as a U.S. national team assistant coach at the World Championships. Yuejin Li in 1981 became China’s first World champion on the floor exercise and was a member of China’s silver medal men’s team at the 1984 Olympics. He was China’s national team coordinator when China swept the men’s and women’s team gold medals at the 2008 Games in Beijing.

USA Gymnastics has been plagued by a series of missteps in hiring decisions in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal.

Steve Penny, the organization’s CEO since 2005 was forced to resign in March 2017 amid allegations that he covered up Nassar’s abuse. Penny was later arrested after being indicted in Walker County, Texas on evidence tampering charges related to the Nassar case. Penny has denied any wrongdoing.

Kerry Perry, a marketing executive, replaced Penny in December 2017. She was forced out in September 2018, just four days after USA Gymnastics asked veteran coach Mary Lee Tracy to resign as the organization’s elite development coordinator after just three days on the job. Tracy’s forced resignation came after USA Gymnastics officials said she improperly contacted Olympic champion Aly Raisman, who is suing the organization.

Former congresswoman Mary Bono resigned as CEO in October after just four days on the job. Bono generated more than $1.5 million in lobbying fees over a three-year period for a firm that played an initial role in USA Gymnastics’ alleged cover-up of Nassar’s sexual abuse.

Li Li Leung, a sports marketing professional and former NBA vice president, in February was appointed USA Gymnastics’ fourth president and chief executive officer in 23 months.

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Special Report: Maggie Haney still working with gymnasts despite suspension Leung’s first major hire was Edward Nyman Jr. as USA Gymnastics first ever full-time sports medicine and science director. But Nyman was fired in April after just one day on the job for failing to disclose athlete safety complaints against his wife and others at the Ohio gymnastics club she owns. USA Gymnastics officials have been aware of allegations of misconduct against the club owned since at least the summer of 2017, an SCNG investigation found.

The recent personnel moves at USA Gymnastics shows, Jessica Howard, a former USA Gymnastics athletes’ council member, said, that the organization is “not only fine with the status quo, they’re going full speed ahead with no intention of changing direction or the culture or making USA Gymnastics a place where the safety of athletes is a priority.

“(Li) is a complete ‘yes’ person for USA Gymnastics,” said Howard, a former U.S. women’s national rhythmic team member and a Nassar survivor. “Their (priority) right now is getting a medal at the 2020 Olympics and proving that they haven’t totally fallen apart in the wake of the Nassar scandal, and getting sponsors back.”