Anna Li » USA (Anna Li)

Where are the accounts of Marta's abuse? I have never read or heard about them from any national team members that I have been friends with. Mackenzie Caquatto was already injured in the past and it came from being a collegiate gymnast. Caquatto competed at Nationals with a sever ankle sprain which needs surgery. I am sure that she was not contracted by USAG to not get the surgery because she may be needed. The girls medical decisions are their own decisions when they turn 18 no matter what contract they are under. The same is said for the younger female gymnasts. These girls decide to ignore the injury or compete through the injury based on the fact that they understand if they aren't seen by the right people and performing well then they will get left behind. It's a tough sport and injuries in ANY sport can and will have an effect on your position on the team, how much you play, and if you need to be replaced. That is the reason the girls ignore their injuries NOT because Marta wants them to compete injured or wear them out. IT is ALWAYS the individuals responsibility to take care of THEMSELVES. Marta may be intimidating but these girls understand the sport, the risks, the rewards, and the politics. And I also said four or more hours in regards to training, read a little more thoroughly before you make a comment like that. And if they weren't practicing 42 days for seven hours at the training camp they would be doing the same thing at their own gyms. It is completely naive for you to think that these girls don't already put in over-time working hours every week in their own gyms. Gymnastics is not the sport for the faint of heart and never has been. It is extremely dangerous and with great technique the likelihood of injury is lessened. Marta has always pushed towards great technique and consistency. Just simply don't point out one person in the entire equation for the cause of injuries.

I find it highly ridiculous that people are this upset about who is going to get the medal, why Marta has chosen to leave her out of the TF, and taking jabs at Sacramone, Liukin, and Vega. For anyone to accuse Marta as being the reason for the "unhealthy" teams and the cause of the injuries is absolutely off the wall. These girls train everyday for at least four hours or more and have done so for years so it is a logical thought pattern that damage to their bodies have already taken place and were not brought on by one sole individual. Studies have shown that many gymnasts become so accustomed to training through or competing through injuries that they often aren't able to understand when enough is enough. As a former gymnast I can remember just dealing with the pain and pushing through it on a day-to-day basis. We are also not there to understand the reasons behind certain decisions and are not as experienced as Marta and the selection committee at putting together the best team. What we have no control over should not cause all of this backlash and anger or disappointment, at least not enough to attack specific individuals.

@ GJJ 2020: The "athlete representative" is largely a token position. Nastia was on the selection committee for Worlds...which chose Anna as part of the squad. She has absolutely no ability to choose lineups in Worlds, so she is not a part of this. Not to mention that as everyone knows, fortunes can change drastically in a year, so an athlete that is on top now is not necessarily guaranteed of anything the next year. The Olympic team ALWAYS differs from the Worlds group because people get injured, move up, move down, etc.

The irony is that out of all the girls on the team right now, Anna Li has the MOST competitive experience. The girl spent four years competing NCAA in arenas. During the season she competed every single week in arenas, in front of large crowds, in high-pressure situations. Compare that to any of the others...even Wieber...who maybe have done an American Cup and Nationals but compete maybe three meets a year.

There is no plausible reason why Li shouldn't have been in the lineup. Yes, the other girls rose to the occasion, but this routine would have added a nice cushion...and it also had very strong potential to make Event Finals and medal individually.
Marta is NOT a good NTC and her decisions have caused more harm than good. The gymnasts who have succeeded are the ones who come from gyms where the coaches protect their athletes from Marta as much as possible...they succeed DESPITE Martha, not because of her.
Think about it...we haven't had a single Worlds or Olympics since...say...2003...in which Marta has not overtrained and underfed the gymnasts to the point of exhaustion and injury. We haven't had a single major competition with a healthy team. The Karolyis have been abusing gymnasts for decades. How much longer are people going to ignore it? Is it really okay to starve and emotionally abuse these girls? Is the gold medal worth these girls' lives? Talk to Moceanu, Eberle, Ruhl, and see how they feel about the Karolyis...or any of the hundreds of others...

So not fair! This routine deserves a spot in TF.

Beautiful!

Argh. Such a great routine and absolutely ridiculous that she wasn't added to the team after Asac was injured. I hope Asac does the right thing and hands her medal over to Anna, if they win one.

Guys, we were 3+ points ahead of the field in quals without Anna, & if you take everyone's top 3 scores & add them together as if it were TF, we were still 2 points ahead. I'm sure Martha has her reasons. One maybe being that TF would be Anna's first international competition EVER, & everyone else has already got their groove form quals. Obviously you could argue that with her massive amounts of competitions in college, but still, competing your first international meet ever & right after an injury, she may not be mentally ready & I bet it's probably going to be a good thing Martha isn't making rash last minute swaps. I have faith in her because of what she's done for our country in the last 10 years, & I think the USA will be just fine in the finals :).

I am literally crying that they are not using her in TF. She is the BEST bar worker in the US. Why Martha? Why?

Great routine. I don't get it. I hope someone asks Marta why Anna Li was not put in. I hope this doesn't come back to bite the US in the butt.

yea i dont quite get it

Why is this routine not being competed in TF? Im so sick about the way Anna Li has been treated at worlds. The poor girl must be heartbroken.

IM SURE MARTHA AND THE NATIONAL COACHES DECIDES THIS TOGETHOR., mARTHA ALONE DID NOT JUST DECIDE THIS BY HERSELF. WE ARE NOT THERE SO THEY ARE IN THE BEST POSTION TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

I will never forgive Marta in my mind for not using Anna on bars in TF.

I think if I had the chance to meet Marta a few years ago, I would have been thrilled, intimidated, etc. Now I think if I met her, I'd do so with a degree of disdain, at least in my mind. And to not even NAME Anna to the team when ASac is literally not even in Japan...! I think it's audacity to the max.

HOW COULD WE NOT ALLOW HER TO COMPETE THIS?!