| March 12, 2003 *** indicates new articles of allegations added on February 1, 2004. From: WorldGymRank www.worldgymrank.com Matthew Esler, Founder mattesler@worldgymrank.com RE: Investigation Proposal: "Past and present status of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation and its programmes" Attention: International Olympic Committee Château de Vidy 1007 Lausanne Switzerland Tel: (41.21) 621 61 11 Fax: (41.21) 621 62 16 www.olympic.org International Olympic Committee Executive Board PRESIDENT Dr. Jacques Rogge (Belgium) VICE PRESIDENT(S) Thomas Bach (Germany) James L. Easton (United States of America) Kim Un Yong (Korea) SUSPENDED Vitaly Smirnov (Russian Federation) MEMBER(S) Sergey Bubka (Ukraine) Franco Carraro (Italy) Ottavio Cinquanta (Italy) Alpha Ibrahim Diallo (Guinea) Gerhard Heiberg (Norway) Toni Khoury (Lebanon) Gunilla Lindberg (Sweden) Lambis V. Nikolaou (Greece) Denis Oswald (Switzerland) Mario Vázquez Rańa (Mexico) |
| "Past and present status of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation and its programmes" |
| by Matt Esler |
| Section 01: Introduction |
| Investigation Proposal |
| Respected members of the International Olympic Committee, Over the past 20 years, there have been whispers and rumor surrounding the training conditions in Romania, specifically at the women’s gymnastics national training facility in Deva, Romania. Many have quietly spoken about beatings, starvation, age falsification, and theft of earnings. Despite these horrible allegations, nothing in the past could be proven, as the Iron Curtain was an impenetrable force. It kept the Western world at an arms length away. Of course, most of this changed in late 1989, when Eastern Europe began to redefine itself by abolishing communism and replacing it with democracy. The media within these countries began to experience the freedom that is so often taken for granted in the West. This was compounded with the introduction of the Internet, making available to a global audience the news, sports, entertainment, politics, and personalities of any given country. Romania is no exception. Because of this, many victims of the communist regimes are speaking out about what has happened to them in the past. One such population is athletes, including Romanian gymnasts. One would perhaps expect to hear controversial accounts of harsh and inhumane treatment during the Cold War, as sports were used as a political weapon. No price was too high and extreme measures were taken to ensure an Olympic gold medal, often at the expense of the health and well being of the athlete. Many athletes are still suffering for the sacrifices they made in the name of their country. What one might not expect to hear is that these training methods are continuing. Alarming amounts of reports are coming out from Romania regarding the Romanian Gymnastics Federation and its gymnastics programmes. On a weekly basis, there are many news articles detailing such allegations as physical, verbal, and emotional abuse lack of medical attention, lack of food, the forging of birth certificates and medical releases, and in some circumstances, the questionable use of drugs. In Section 2, I have compiled public documentation explicitly dealing with such issues, past and present, to better inform members of the committee. |
| Section 02: Allegations |
| Please click on each numbered line to view specifics. |
| Table of Contents Section 01: Introduction Section 02: Allegations 01. Rodica Dunca 02. Lavinia Agache, Ecaterina Szabo 03. Mihaela Stanulet 04. Daniela Silivas 05. Adriana Giurca, Florin Gheorghe 06. Corina Ungureanu 07. Alexandra Marinescu 08. Age fraud, falsification of passports and official documents 09. Claudia Presecan 10. Silvia Stroescu 11. Mariana Bitang 12. Ion Tiriac, Mariana Bitang 13. Age fraud in relationship to health 14. Simona Amanar 15. Alexandra Barac 16. Andreea Ulmeanu 17. Four World Champions retire 18. Andreea Raducan 19. Sabina Cojocar 20. Deficiencies of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation 21. Sabina Cojocar ***22. Melita Ruhn ***23. Oana Petrovschi ***24. Oana Petrovschi ***25. Oana Petrovschi ***26. Florenta Oancea Section 03: Conflicts of Interest Section 04: Comments Section 05: Sources |
| Section 03: Conflicts of Interest |
| Section 04: Comments |
| Section 05: Sources |
| The purpose of bringing these allegations detailed in this document to the International Olympic Committee is simple; there has been no action taken within the Romanian Gymnastics Federation (RGF), the Romanian Olympic Committee (ROC), and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) in regard to the allegations presented. It is highly shocking and infuriating that allegations of such magnitude are still continuously being ignored. This is not just a problem from the past; there are allegations being made presently, by gymnasts who only until last month were in the training center in Deva, Romania. There is obviously a conflict of interest that is undermining the search for justice, compensation, and the truth. Why else would so many distinguished individuals and federations continue to ignore and deny what is plainly visible? Section 2:8, article I, sums up the conflict of interest. The president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), Mr. Bruno Grandi, is obviously struggling with launching an investigation against one of the vice-presidents of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), Mr. Nicolae Vieru (President, Romanian Gymnastics Federation). This is a very simple and obvious conclusion, as action has yet to be taken in regard to any of the above allegations. On a positive note, a press-release from the FIG on March 11, 2003, stated the following: |
| It is clear that intervention and investigation into these allegations and situations is needed. If the situation continues to be ignored, one can only imagine what future consequences may lie ahead for Romanian gymnastics. Steps are already being taken to silence gymnasts from speaking out about their lives in an honest and open matter. A contract proposed by the Romanian National team Coaches, Octavian Belu and Mariana Bitang, is currently being drafted. It would prohibit all gymnasts from speaking with the media, even after retirement, unless authorized. If a gymnast wishes to remain on the Romanian National Team, she will be forced to sign it. If she refuses, her gymnastics career will be, for all practical purposes, over. Any Federation that is innocent of these types of allegations would not be trying to put into place such ‘contracts’ with any athlete. It is one more measure that the Romanian Gymnastics Federation is trying to accomplish to hide their questionable behavior. The International Olympic Committee has a responsibility to protect the health and welfare of all athletes in all sports that are encompassed under the Olympic umbrella. Gymnastics has been, and will continue to be, a marquee sport of the Olympic Games. But at what cost? I urge the International Olympic Committee to read this document and interpret it in the most serious manner. This is not designed as a ‘witch-hunt’ against the Romanian Gymnastics Federation and its programmes. This is a compassionate quest for the truth and the scrutiny of the training conditions, personnel, and methods which are being exercised, and of the utmost importance, the health and welfare of the children, adults, and the families that are touched by this system on a daily basis. It would be in the interest of the International Olympic Committee to demand transparency from the Romanian Gymnastics Federation and its programmes in a cooperative effort to help solve these difficult and painful issues that plague them. Any lack of action may appear as an indifference toward such allegations presented in this document. |
| Here is the list of publications, transcripts, and websites that were utilized: Adevarul Amazing Andreea Evenimentul Zilei International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Gazeta Sporturilor International Olympic Committee (IOC) Libertatea Monitorul de Brasov Monitorul de Sibiu Prosport Pro TV Romanian Gymnastics News Romania Libera Rondul Sport International (currently offline) Unica VIP Whatever Happened To…? Ziarul de Iasi Ziua |
| -The FIG represents gymnastics in all its forms and affirms its presence and role in the international sports movement. -coordinates efforts for healthy physical and moral development in society. -supports and coordinates the requirements of the member federations in promoting and developing gymnastics on all levels. - contributes to strengthening friendship and fair-play among all gymnasts and sportsmen and sportswomen of all levels. - furthers ethical principles - informs, prevents and sanctions against doping. - instructs, controls and sanctions all dishonest persons (judges, coaches, authorised Members of affiliated federations, etc.). - is responsible for coordination with other international organisations and the promotion of the Olympic Spirit. |
| "Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles." Olympic Charter, Fundamental principles, paragraph 2. |
| Passage from the Olympic Charter |
| 1. An enormous amount of gratitude is due to Ms. Nicole Citroen, author of the ‘Amazing Andreea’ website. Nicole has been painstakingly translating articles from Romanian into English for over a decade now. Without her hard work and dedication, none of this could even be possible. Thank you! 2. I would also like to thank Ms. Lauren and Ms. Ioana from the ‘Romanian Gymnastics News’ website for also providing clear and concise Romanian to English translations. Ioana is another Romanian gymnastics expert who unselfishly translates articles for all of us to read. Thank you very much! 3. A special thanks to Ms. Jennifer Isbister from the ‘What Ever Happened To…? Gymnastic Greats’ website, for helping provide an accurate description found in Section 2:2. Thank you! |
| ...and a special thank you to: |
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| Let us remember the Mission Statement of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), and hope that Mr. Grandi is willing to back up his words of optimism with authority and action: |
| “The coach’s role is essential and he is taking high responsibilities in an athlete’s formation process. The coach plays a center-piece and has the keys of success for the development of a gymnast’s sport and social careers. A well-planned learning of the sport leads to success and keeps the athlete away from dangerous improvisations in his formation". “Training the coaches is one of the FIG priorities in which I am personally getting involved". Mr. Bruno Grandi, President, International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) |
| On March 12, 2003, an additional follow up press release was issued from Mr. Grandi, President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG): |
| “Once in a while, a speaker inserts a few words in his discourse with skilful innocence, giving the impression that it was not done purposely. The sentences unfold, the speech ends, and we hear applauds. Once in a while however, a more sensitive and attentive ear will capture the subtleties of the phrasing and detect a new sound in the discourse. The sounds of words can be intriguing and interesting. This is exactly what has happened three times recently. The fact could have gone by unnoticed, except that the speaker was no one less than the President of the International Olympic Committee, who spoke with his typical wisdom and in barely veiled terms about the emergence of a more human face in sport. At least that is how we will visualize our perception. The first hint came at the Fair-Play Awards Ceremony in Paris, when the President of the IOC reminded the winners, and our famous Irina Karavaeva among them, that “the champion is not always the one who crosses the line first.” The subtle allusion was detected for the second time at the recent seminar on Justice and Injustice in Sport at the International Center for Sports Studies of in Neuchâtel (SUI), when President Rogge remarked that the “true future champion will have to reach beyond the notion of victory and increase the value of his performance by giving the best of himself”. The third speech was delivered in Macolin (SUI) at the Conference on Sport for the Cause of Development and Peace, in which he reminded his audience that “the Olympic ideal is not made exclusively of athletic records and medals”. At each of these three different occasions, his speeches revealed a quest for a new direction in sport, a call to all the federations to reevaluate their philosophy and develop new values. Could these recurring themes open the road for a new orientation in sport in the years to come? We are inclined to think so, since telling signs are already discernable. For instance, what will be the fate of the Olympic manna after 2008? It is evident that the marketplace is waiting for new and more spectacular disciplines more focused on the individual and his feelings. In a more subtle way also, an expectation is emerging strongly in support of a discipline that would reject “dry” competition and welcome more noble values such as solidarity and development. Appropriately, this discourse takes the appearance of hope, when we realize that sensitivity, solidarity, and excellence in performance are values already present in gymnastics. When gymnastics reaches the individual at this level, body and soul connect in full harmony. Why not then add a little bit of humanism? With my compliments, Bruno Grandi, President of the FIG and Member of the IOC” |
UPDATE: February 1, 2004 Since www.worldgymrank.com first published this document online in March of 2003, all attempts to contact the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as well as the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), and the Romanian Olympic Committee (ROC) have failed. This document has been repeatedly mailed and emailed to the respective organizations and their members, all without one single response. I find this highly alarming. Not only does this document outline problems in great detail of the Romanian gymnastics community, providing sources, translations, and published accounts, the failure of any intervention by the above organizations has resulted in further allegations of abuse since the first publication of this document. Oana Petrovschi is the latest Romanian gymnast to speak out about her abuse at the Romanian national training center in Deva. Had anyone bothered to take this document seriously and intervene on behalf of the gymnasts, her career-ending injuries would not have happened. This is a disgusting example of the lack of leadership that permeates the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). It is shameful that these organizations, all of which have charters promoting health, fairness, and well-being, have completely ignored these documented problems. Obviously, the health and well-being of Romanian gymnasts is of little or no concern to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), nor the Romanian Olympic Committee (ROC). It is quite clear that these organizations have severe internal problems, and that they are inept in handling the most basic problem in sport, the rights of the athlete. We are constantly reading about corruption in the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the most recent being the arrest of IOC vice-president Kim Un-Yong (KOR) for the alleged embezzlement of funds from taekwondo federations. Dr. Jacque Rogge, president of the IOC, stated that they have “suspended the eligibility of Kim Un-Yong as its vice president, in a measure to protect the dignity of the IOC.” What dignity? How can an organization that ignores the basic human rights of its athletes that it’s supposed to be protecting have any dignity? Meanwhile, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) is swiftly being run into the ground by its current president, Bruno Grandi (ITA). He is perhaps best illustrated by the changes he has made to gymnastics since he has been president. Mr. Grandi has “successfully” altered the formats of the most prestigious gymnastics competitions, by removing (and completely disregarding the athlete’s safety) warm-ups on the competition apparatus! The numbers of athletes that may qualify for certain portions of gymnastics competitions has been cut by 1/3rd. Team members are no longer permitted to be in the arena during the team finals other than to perform their exercise, and the “team” portion of the competition has been reduced from six members to three. So much for a team effort. These aren't changes. These are erosions placed upon the sport of gymnastics by its very president. Quicker, cheaper, and reckless. Who cares about the athletes (and their safety) when money is bottom-line? Mr. Grandi claims he has made gymnastics safer, by raising the competition age limit to 16. Mr. Grandi has made no secret of his great friendship with IOC president, Dr. Jacque Rogge. Since he and Dr. Rogge are such good friends, one would think there would be an open dialogue between the two, especially when it comes to the interest of gymnastics and its athletes...or perhaps they would share notes about documents they have both have received concerning Romanian gymnasts? Nevertheless, why bother? If it is ignored, it did not happen and it will go away. It should also be mentioned (again), that Nicolae Vieru (Romania) is the vice president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). Vieru is also the president of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation of many, many years. During the height of the Cold War, when communism drove gymnastics, its leaders, and its judges, Vieru was one of the most popular and effective leaders amongst the hard-line communists. Old habits die hard, as does his influence, and I am sure nobody, most of all Mr. Grandi, wants to upset the patriarch of Romanian gymnastics in what should be his golden years. The secretary general of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, Adrian Stoica, is the president of the men’s technical committee in… gasp… the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). Of course, when you can just offer blanket denials that nothing like this ever happens, that all former gymnasts that speak up in Romania are liars, and you have people in positions of power and influence sleeping in your bed…who cares? Matt Esler 02.01.04 |