By TERRI LANGFORD

© The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) -- Olympic champion Dominique Moceanu and her parents have reached a financial settlement that ends a protective order against the gymnast's father. "I certainly realize that people can make mistakes even when their intentions are good," Moceanu said in a statement released by her Boulder, Colo., publicist at Gold Medal Management. "This has been an extremely difficult time for my family and I hope that we can now begin to move forward in support of one another." The 17-year-old gymnast, declared a legal adult Oct. 29, won a one-year court order in December that kept her father at least 500 feet away from her. She sought the order after police said they were investigating accusations that Dumitru Moceanu, 44, tried to have two of his daughter's friends slain. He has denied the accusation. The protective order was lifted Thursday by Judge Patricia Lykos. Lawyers declined to elaborate on the confidential financial settlement. The gymnast, training in Colorado for the 2000 Olympics, declined to be interviewed. Moceanu's lawyer, Ellen Yarrell, said Friday her client is "confident that the settlement assures her personal safety and achievement of her financial goals." Dumitru Moceanu did not return a call Friday. His lawyer, Jimmy Phillips, would say only that "the family is back together again." The family fight became public last October the gymnast sued for her independence. She claimed her father squandered the money she had earned during a 10-year professional career. Her parents had held her earnings in a trust fund, which they administer. She did not have access to the trust until she turned 35. Her father has said all of his daughter's earnings went into building a $4 million, 70,000-square-foot gym with his daughter's approval. "I know that deep down my father loves me, and of course I love him, so I need to find a way in my heart to give him forgiveness," the gymnast's statement read. "I hope there is a chance that someday things in my family can be normal again."
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Two of three missing Romanian gymnasts show up in Orlando

© The Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Two of three Romanian gymnasts who disappeared from a Virginia hotel last weekend have surfaced in Orlando. Viorel Popescu and Marian Malita told WESH-TV in Orlando on Thursday that they traveled by bus to Orlando after deserting their team in Virginia because they wanted to see the United States despite their coaches' objections. Their teammate, Vasile Cioana, is in New York, the television station reported. The teammates were last seen on Saturday, the day after their team participated in a meet with American and Chinese gymnasts in Richmond, Va. The Romanian team left for home Tuesday without them. The three gymnasts had temporary visas that allow them to remain in the United States for 90 days. Popescu and Malita told WESH that they don't know if they will try to stay in the United States or return to Romania, where they describe life as "heavy." They currently are staying in Orlando in a two-bedroom apartment with three other people. If the gymnasts do not return home, it could damage Romania's chances of qualifying for the 2000 Olympics. The world championships are in October, and the top 12 teams qualify for the 2000 Games.
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Three Romanian Gymnasts Disappear

By DOMINIC PERELLA

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Three Romanian gymnasts who disappeared from their hotel with the apparent intent of staying in the United States might have trouble getting long-term visas, according to the Romanian Embassy. Marian Malita, Viorel Popescu and Vasile Cioana have not been seen since Saturday, the day after their team participated in the Pontiac Cup competition with American and Chinese gymnasts. Romanian officials think the three decided to stay in this country, Ron Galimore, senior director for the American men's gymnastics program, said Wednesday. The Romanian team left for home Tuesday without them. "I'm told that they did leave a note saying that they planned to stay behind," Galimore said. "Since this has taken place, we've been trying to locate them on behalf of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation. We've taken the time to contact several gym club owners that have foreign athletes working or training there. We've been unsuccessful at locating them." There are no signs of foul play in the disappearance, but FBI officials are checking to be sure, according to the FBI's Richmond office. Galimore said two of the men are 20 years old and one is 23. "We're trying to find them to encourage them to go back and allow us to help them come here legally," he said. "I think they're a little young and they probably have not thought through things." No laws prevent Romanians from emigrating. However, Stefan Maier, press secretary for the Romanian Embassy in Washington, said getting long-term visas from parts of Europe can be difficult. The three gymnasts had temporary visas for their visit. Nicolae Vieru, head of Romania's gymnastics federation, told private news agency Mediafax that Cioana's visa is good until 2000, while Malita's and Popescu's expire at the end of April. If the athletes approach U.S. officials to request asylum, their cases would be decided by the Immigration and Naturalization Service or an immigration court judge, INS spokesman Russ Bergeron said. The INS has not heard from either the gymnasts or their team, Bergeron said. The Romanians stayed at the Omni Hotel in downtown Richmond. Sometime after the event last Friday, Malita, Popescu and Cioana left the hotel and didn't return. On Sunday, when the team visited the Romanian embassy, the three were missing, Maier said. "The person at the embassy who was serving as a host ... was told by the team that they were very upset that three of them left," he said. News reports from Romania said that if the three stay in the United States, it would most likely be to make more money. The average monthly salary in Romania is equivalent to $78. If the three do not return home, it could damage Romania's chances of qualifying for the 2000 Olympics, Galimore said. The 1999 world championships are in October, and the top 12 teams qualify for the 2000 Games. The three missing athletes are "definitely within the top six" on the Romanian team, Galimore said. "All three of these guys would definitely be players for Romania's world championships team."


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*Adidas has replaced Reebok as the sponsor of USA Gymnastics~new leotards and more!*


"I don't think we should let it hang over the Olympics. The Olympics is still about the athletes and competing with other nations and doing your best. It's still about that, no matter what happens."
-Shannon Miller, on the U.S. Olympic Committee bribery scandal


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Moceanu resumes training

By ROBIN McDOWELL

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- Putting a tumultuous and often painful year behind her, 17-year-old Dominique Moceanu is back to what she knows best: gymnastics. Following a four-month hiatus from the sport, Moceanu has spent the last 3 1/2 weeks training six hours a day at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to prepare for competition. "It's coming along faster than I thought," said Moceanu, who is concentrating on the balance beam and the uneven-parallel bars. "I think my style and my technique is better ... but I've got to definitely work on my strength." Moceanu added that she is having the most difficulty with the vault. The tiny gymnast, who at 14 captivated millions during the 1996 Olympics, is 10 inches taller and 25 pounds heavier than she was then, and said she feels at least a decade older. For months, she has been embroiled in a highly publicized and ultimately successful legal battle with her father for independence. She said he squandered her money, an accusation he denied. But Moceanu feels it's important to try to make a comeback now, before it's too late. "What if I don't give it a shot?" she asked Thursday. "What if I'm watching the Olympics and am thinking 'I could have been there.' I still believe I have it in me." Moceanu will travel to China on April 5 with Team USA to compete on the balance beam. She said she's ready for that event, but acknowledges the pressure will be tremendous. "Now everyone is waiting to see what Dominique is going to do," she said. "Everyone is watching, the whole world is watching to see what I'm going to do. But I'm used to this. And I've gone through too much to let it get me down now." The young gymnast also wants to compete in this year's world championships, with the ultimate goal of making it to Sydney for the 2000 Olympics. Moceanu, who is back with coach Luminita Miscenco, said she decided to come to Colorado to train because of low overhead at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, and the positive atmosphere. "It's good to be around so many athletes with similar goals," she said. Moceanu credits Miscenco with reviving her career last year, when she won a gold medal at the Goodwill Games. Being the only female gymnast at the training center was "awkward at first," Moceanu said. "But I've gotten used to it. Since 1996, I've always trained by myself, not really with a team." Moceanu was the youngest member of the 1996 Gold Medal Olympic Team and finished ninth in the all-around competition. "I was just a baby, it seems like now," she said with a laugh, adding that she feels she grown in many ways that will help her perform. "It's made me a tougher, stronger person."

Stories © Associated Press.