Karolyi Advise for Nadia

Circa 12/89

Nadia Comaneci and her old coach, Bela Karolyi, disagree on whether love
means never having to say you're sorry. 

Karolyi, who developed the legendary gymnast into the sweetheart of the
1976 Montreal Olympics, is upset by Nadia's current choice of heartthrobs.
He told the Houston Post he would advise her to ditch the married man who
left his wife and four children to be with her and manage her career when
she defected from Romania to the United States in November. 

Karolyi, who defected in 1981 and now serves as a U.S. Olympic coach, said
he tried several times to contact Comaneci after she moved to this country
but that she snubbed his calls. 

"I wanted to tell her that the American society is different from Romanian
society,' he said. "The values of the family here are so important. 

"I am very concerned about Nadia, and for the millions of young children who
still idolize her. That means a monument is going to be ruined.' 

Obviously, Nadia isn't the little girl Karolyi knew. 

"I don't know what has happened to her in the years since I last coached her,'
he said. "I wish she had never grown up.' *