World Olympic Gymnastics Academy

World Olympic Gymnastics Academy

Company type	Private
Industry	Gymnastics training
Founded	1994
Founder	Yevgeny Marchenko, Valeri Liukin
Headquarters	Frisco and Plano , United States
Area served	United States, international (through competition)
Key people	Yevgeny Marchenko, Valeri Liukin, Edouard Larov
Products	Gymnastics training and competitions

The World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) maintains two training centers located in Frisco and Plano. Established in 1994 by World Sports acrobatic champion Yevgeny Marchenko, who famously coached Olympic gold medalist Carly Patterson, alongside 1988 Soviet Olympic champion Valeri Liukin, a former women's national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics, WOGA has become a premier destination for gymnastics training.

Edouard Larov, who previously coached under Liukin and worked with both the USSR and Canadian national squads, has also played a significant role in nurturing athletes at the academy.

In 2003, WOGA representatives Patterson and Hollie Vise earned individual medals while contributing to the U.S. team’s first-ever gold at the World Championships. The next year, Patterson achieved a historic feat by becoming only the second American woman to claim Olympic all-around gold during a fully attended Olympic Games.

Each year, WOGA organizes a competition at the Comerica Center in Frisco that includes levels 1 through 10 as well as an international elite division. This event has welcomed celebrated gymnasts such as Mira Boumejmajen, Marine Brevet, Madeline Gardiner, Laurie Hernandez, Katelyn Ohashi, and Jordyn Wieber.

Notable gymnasts

WOGA has produced four Olympic champions: Carly Patterson (Athens 2004), Nastia Liukin (Beijing 2008), Madison Kocian (Rio 2016), and Hezly Rivera (Paris 2024).

The academy’s roster of world champions includes seven athletes: Patterson (2003), Hollie Vise (2003), Liukin (2005, 2007), Ivana Hong (2007), Kocian (2014, 2015), Alyssa Baumann (2014), and Skye Blakely (2022, 2023).

Additional prominent artistic gymnasts associated with WOGA are Irina Alexeeva, Vanessa Atler, Rebecca Bross, Briley Casanova, Madray Johnson, Brenda Magaña, Grace McLaughlin, Konnor McClain, Ohashi, Levi Ruivivar, McKenzie Wofford, and Glenn McCuen. In the field of acrobatic gymnastics, Axl Osborne stands out as a notable former member.

Sexual assaults

Between 2003 and 2004, WOGA coach Christopher Wagoner committed sexual assaults against 14-year-old Natasha Crabb. After Wagoner departed from the academy, law enforcement initiated an inquiry in 2005. He later admitted guilt to two counts of sexual assault and received a prison sentence of 15 years in 2006.

Following Wagoner’s conviction, Crabb and her family filed a lawsuit against WOGA’s owners, accusing them of insufficient vetting and oversight of the coach. The complaint did not demand specific monetary compensation nor did it accuse the owners of direct abuse. WOGA’s legal counsel affirmed that all coaches undergo criminal background screenings and that no allegations had come to light prior to Wagoner’s exit. In 2008, the dispute was resolved through an undisclosed settlement between WOGA and Crabb.

Alleged abuse of gymnasts

In 2022, the U.S. Center for SafeSport launched an investigation into claims directed at WOGA founder Valeri Liukin. Several gymnasts reported verbal mistreatment, being compelled to train or compete despite injuries or illnesses, as well as experiencing daily criticism related to their weight. As of January 2023, this investigation was still underway.