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[07.08/ updated 20,00 GMT]
Depart in tears: Andreea
Munteanu
stays, Silvia
Stroescu goes to Athens
The team for Athens left the Romanian special Olympic camp
with a bus, Silvia
Stroescu was seen in the team. In two hours,
the plane for Athens have left Bucharest with a happy Stroescu
in the Olympic gymnastic team.
This morning, coach Mariana
Bitang have had a very strong,
long conversation with Andreea
Munteanu (looking like it was nearby a
nervous breakdown, very disappointed ) and her parents, poor
and ordinary citizens facing a very bad situation for her
girl: after so many hours of training, the dream for Olympics
has gone...
Also second coach of Olympic team, Mr.Forminte, was left home
to continue training in Bucharest with the other two girls
left home.Until the last moment, the coaches Mariana
Bitang and Octavian
Belu
haven't decided the place where they should continue training
(Deva, Constanta or Athens), but finally they left them train
in Bucharest, considering they have better conditions than
in Athens.
At the depart of Olympic team from the "Sport" Hotel,
scenes like the ones from a soap opera could be seen: the
girl who left crying and being encouraged by the other team
of crying girls-the one who remain. It was said by somebody
which have a broke heart seeing this scene,like everybody
who have assisted, that at least the other two girls could
be taken (or promised to be asked to come later, even without
contest involving) to Athens anyway to see the contest, as
a reward for their hard work.
Coach Nicolae
Forminte, himself being visibly
impressed by girls solidarity, that "Well, at least maybe
you start going there crying and will return happy, with a
lot of medals!".
The girls who were left were promised a two weeks trip at
Black Sea Coast by the coach Nicolae
Forminte, in a last moment solution
to keep their moral up (the Olympic team should have a psychologist
anyway).
By contrary, the U.S. Olympic
Committee will provide for each team member a
4-places (!) facility for the family members of each gymnast.
For Romania it was very easy to provide at least a fraction
of this support (one or two family member), since Greece is
almost nearby Romania.
...In the meantime, even some
key members of the most beloved sport in Romania, gymnastics,
are left in tears at home. Not to speak about their parents,
which never have had a chance to see their children at a major,
world-wide, competition-which bring Romania a lot of (some
time not deserved) publicity, for the hard work of those heroic
children (10 years of hard work before having a chance to
reach Olympics!).
 ...Last
evening, all the Romanian Olympic delegation was invited at
former Ceausescu's Palace, the 2nd largest building in the
world (after U.S. Pentagon), at the Official ceremony of presenting
Olympic delegation. Romanian President Iliescu and Prime Minister
Nastase were at ceremony along with Mr.Tiriac-President of
Romanian Olympic Committee.
All of them-having speeches, signing on a giant poster with
the names of all members of Romanian delegation and making
pictures with the teams at each sport. Especially gymnastics
is considered to be on of President Iliescu favorite sports,
he personally being a supporter of coaches (Belu having a
Presidential Order from Iliescu, along with Gymnastics Federation
President Vieru and Mr.Bruno, President of European Gymnastics
Federation).Photos:DAIS
Romanian Gymnastics News Archive.
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