"Brainwashing the Gymnasts”

“The Federation should understand that the girls they sent home are forced to reintegrate in their families now,” said the mother of one of the gymnasts. “It’s a completely different lifestyle. What about their education? You can’t handle things this way, especially when the gymnasts were brainwashed during their stay at Deva. My daughter told me a story about Silvia Stroescu being slapped in the face by Belu. She was doing a beam routine, and he cursed her out. She got nervous and made another mistake. He slapped her immediately after that. The next second, Silvia, who’s always had personality to spare, left the gym crying and called home. Her parents came to Deva right away, wanting to take her away. It was a huge scandal, but it was kept under wraps. The Stroescu family also suggested hiring a team psychologist at that time, but the coaches didn’t agree.”

In other related news, Secretary of State Nicolae Mărăsescu talked to the director of the National Sports Medicine Institute, Dr. Răzvan Bosneag. “I asked him how did we get to the point where gymnasts from the national team are being sent home with serious injuries, when it is the duty of the institution he runs to take care of the athletes’ health problems,” said Mărăsescu . “When doctors from the NISM discover a problem, they have to treat itm, or recommend a specialist in Romania or a foreign country." Mărăsescu demanded that Dr. Bosneag gets personally involved in taking care of the injured gymnasts and brings them back in the gym as soon as possible.

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