←

→

Romania starved gymnast Szabo

November 23rd, 2010 | ethics, physical preparation, psychology, safety

Bea posted a translation of a GSP interview with Ecaterina (Kati) Szabo, whose real name (I learned) is Szabó Katalin. She’s an ethnic Hungarian. Like Bela.

… won 20 Olympic, world and continental medals. Although perhaps most notable for winning the all-around silver in the 1984 Olympics after an epic clash with Mary Lou Retton of the US, Szabo won gold medals in three of the individual events (vault, balance beam (tie), and floor exercise) and contributed to the team gold. …

Now age-42, what does she remember most about her Hall of Fame career?

… The hunger! I can say that I truly learnt what suffering from hunger means. If I had to name the most difficult to bare thing from the period when I was an elite athlete, that would be the diet. You must be tough in order to overcome this.

But you were still managing to run away for sweets…

It was very difficult because we were permanently watched but I remember a cute episode that happened in Moscow, i was with Daniela Silivas. After the contest we went to the tribune and started to beg for money: “Please, one rubla”. Anything was good, not just money.

I imagine that you were as well among the ones that were severely punished by Bela Karoly…

I am the type who does not like to live through the memories of 30 years ago. I turned the page and move on. But I do not regret anything that happened! Emilia Eberle called me last year to ask me if I will tell what I endured from Karoly. …

read more on Gymnastics – No Ceiling – Cati’s Szabo years of suffering

I’ll always remember how skinny the Romanian girls were at the 1979 World Championships, under the Karolyis. Story was that they were locked in a training camp with no way to beg extra food.

So far as I’ve heard, Bela has never answered that particular charge.

Click PLAY or watch her optional Floor from the L.A. Olympics on YouTube.

original post (Google Translate)

After the SHAWNEYJ return to the Karolyi Ranch, she tweeted:

Anybody out there know of an extremely qualified nutritionist Dietitian??? Im looking for one to work with… HELP!

That’s the new Karolyi way, I’m thinking.

Print FriendlyPrint Friendly

7 comments ↓

#1 Frenchie on 11.23.10 at 6:52 am

Bela tortured all his gymnasts and has never apologized for any of it. It’s quite disgusting the way USAG has made him their poster boy, sending him out to promote this event and that event.

#2 Dmarten on 11.23.10 at 11:32 am

I’m with Frenchie. That man should be in the worst prison they can find in Romania. And-the only reason USAG made him their poster boy is that it keeps him away from coaching the girls. I’d rather see him making an ass out of himself than making any more victims.

#3 .... on 11.23.10 at 12:53 pm

I find the Shawn tweet rather interesting and people’s reaction to it even more so: 1) there are very few gym blogs/forums that this issue hasn’t been brought up over and over again 2) the timing of the tweet (at camp- surely this isn’t the first light bulb moment she has had on the issue) 3) she is not that naive not to know by tweeting this at camp where everyone’s assumption of blame would go 4) cynical enough to believe this is all a ploy to reinforce her doe eye sweetheart image against the big bad gymnastic powers-that-be..5) people’s readiness to jump on the Karolyis

#4 Calítoe.:. (Cristina MJ) on 11.24.10 at 6:05 am

I read it all and it’s a very interesting interview with Kati (as everybody close to her has always known her) Szabo. She had a good relationship with my coaches in Luxembourg, two former colleagues of hers.

There are many Romanians of Hungarian ethnicity. Béla Károlyi was one of them himself. In older times they compelled some of the “public” ones to change or romanise their names.

By the way, shouldn’t it be “whose real name”?

#5 coach Rick on 11.24.10 at 9:19 am

Thanks. I made that correction. And added a couple of your comments.

#6 PolyisTCOandbanned on 11.24.10 at 3:38 pm

Losing weight will make her more competitive. She can safely diet down some. That she hasn’t is probably because her natural physique (look at Mom) runs to fat.

(Yes, she’s muscular, but now she’s added a lot of fat on top of the muscles. She can lean down from the Bristol Palin look!)

She wasn’t getting it done on her own, so she reached out for an expert. Just being a smart athlete. (I suspect eating too much bread and the like and insufficient veggies has been her issue–veggies are the total hunger destroyer!)

#7 AM on 11.24.10 at 4:05 pm

I thought the Karolyi’s daughter was a “nutritionist” or at least the only one who agreed with her parent’s food philosophy.

Leave a Comment