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Huntersville gymnastics coach accused of emotional, physical abuse, New York Times reports

Gymnasts told The New York Times coach Qi Han would fat shame them, and if they complained, he would call them stupid, or even throw a shoe or cell phone at them.

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A local gymnastics coach was accused of emotionally and physically abusing athletes, according to an investigation by The New York Times.

The alleged abuse happened at Everest Gymnastics in Huntersville, one of the top training centers in the country.

Gymnasts told The New York Times coach Qi Han would fat shame them, and if they complained, he would call them stupid, or even throw a shoe or cell phone at them.

This case garnered a lot of attention after the conviction of Larry Nassar. He's the former team doctor for USA Gymnastics who's accused of sexually abusing more than 150 gymnasts. In January, he was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison.

Over the weekend, The New York Times' story focused on a gymnast from our area who was an alternate on the 2016 Olympic team. According to the newspaper, Ashton Locklear, 20, claimed coach Han, who owns Everest Gymnastics, threw a phone at her. The article also talked about a so-called “fat group” girls who were forced to do extra exercise.

NBC Charlotte talked to a number of parents as well as current and former gymnasts. Some detailed horrible allegations of abuse. Others defended the coach -- saying the claims were part of a vendetta against the coach after certain girls didn’t make the elite team.

One parent said coach Han hit his daughter when she didn’t perform well.

"She was walking back by him, and she wasn’t doing what he wanted, and as she walked by, he hit her in the back of the head and told her to get out of the gym and she started crying."

We talked with another gymnast who said she was there at the time and saw the incident.

While Han would not talk to NBC Charlotte, he has hired a public relations team and a legal team to respond to the allegations. The gym gathered a room full of parents Monday who wanted to speak on behalf of the coach and say the allegations of mental and physical abuse are false.

"That's not how we know Everest, not how we know coach Han."

Everest Gymnastics also issued this written statement: “We do not tolerate abuse of any kind in our facility. We deny these alleged claims and we are prepared to defend ourselves against any allegations in the appropriate forum, including in a court of law and through USA Gymnastics.”

USA Gymnastics confirmed a non-sexual complaint about coach Han was submitted last year to SafeSport, the outside agency that investigates abuse allegations. SafeSport officials said they do not comment on ongoing investigations.

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