Gymnastics: death of Bela Karolyi, former coach of Nadia Comaneci

A page in the history of world sport was turned this Saturday with the death of Bela Karolyi. This Romanian, from the country’s Hungarian minority, was the coach of Nadia Comaneci, gym legend, for her Olympic coronations in 1976 in Montreal, with a perfect score, 10, and in 1980 in Moscow.

He then defected to join the United States in 1981, leading American Mary Lou Retton to Olympic gold in 1984 in Los Angeles.

Known for his strict discipline, Karolyi was a controversial figure as a coach in the United States with his wife Marta at their Texas ranch, a national training center between 2001 and 2018, left by Team USA after the assault scandal sexual relations of federation doctor Larry Nassar.

“He was a complex individual”

Dominique Moceanu, Olympic champion in 1996 in Atlanta under the direction of Karolyi, described on Saturday on her X account a man with two sides.

“Bela Karolyi was a man whose influence on my life and on high-level gymnastics was important, it is undeniable. He was a complex individual, a mixture of strengths and weaknesses that marked those around him. »

“His harsh words and critical attitude weighed heavily on me. If our relationship was marked by difficulties, some of these moments forged me and helped me find my way,” she added.