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Governement
Reception for Romanian Gymnasts
Catalina Ponor: "I'm not
doing gymnastics for money!"
[02.09/GMT 21,00] Two hours ago, the Romanian
Government have hosted a Reception for all national Olympic
medallists.
The gymnastics team was surrounded by all the Romanian media.
It was previously announced that today they will receive the
checks with the prizes.Instead, Prime Minister Nastase have
handled to all medallists some official "confirmation letters"
which state the amount...to be paid later, in 10 days.
 Photo
at right: The Romanian Olympic Team at today evening Government
Reception for Olympics.
In the front, at left (white suit), Mr.Ion Tiriac, President
of Romanian Olympic Comitee. In the middle, the Gymnastics
Team. All photos by DAIS, used with special permission
Today was only a congratulations
day, for the big disappointment of some athletes, which are
expected back home with their small fortunes earned after
years of hard work.
 Maybe
the Government members were anxious to congratulate the athletes
(all members of Romanian Government were present), but the
(in)famous Romanian bureaucracy was more powerful and the
cash prizes can't be available until few more days.
 Catalina
Ponor will get around 7 billions lei for her, said Prima TV,
a Romanian TV station which is close to Government and well
informed about anything around it.
When asked repeatedly, by the Romanian press, about what her
intentions and her future projects with the money earned,
Ponor stated that "I didn't thought about this yet. I'm not
doing gymnastics for money and my thoughts now are for next
contest, not about spending the money". She seems to be very
firmly and sincere in her words.
 Marius
Urzica answered at same question (what he want to do with
his prize): "I will let them make more money in the bank (for
interest earned). About next contest he said, seeing very
determinate and looking with a little bit of hate in his eyes:
" I want to beat the Chinese in the next contest and prove
I'm better. I want tech him a lesson and this time I hope
the referees will be other than in Athens..." (in AA contest
in Athens, Urzica was considered by many as the real winner,
having a better exercise than the final medallist. The Romanian
state television even aired, half screen each, both executions
at same time and you don't need to be a specialist to see
Urzica have had twice the speed of the "champion" in his own
execution and his last part of pommel horse exercise was by
far more difficult).
 Monica
Rosu: "I'm very happy about this reception, is the first time
when our team is invited at Government and the today prizes
is the recognition of our many years of hard, very hard work".
Mrs. Bitang was not present, but Mr.Belu, coach
of the national gymnastics team, said that: "When all the
world said somebody is the best coach-after having proved
for many years I can bring medals back home, you must have
a reward close to the size of the results." ...
Well, they (finally) seems to get the picture, Mr.Belu.
Romanian Gymnastics News Archive.
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