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Martha responds to Moceanu*

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Martha Karolyi chose her words carefully earlier today during a conference call when she was asked about comments former U.S. Olympian Dominique Moceanu made to HBO ‘Real Sports,’ which will air a report tonight (10 p.m. EST/PST) about the physical and emotional toll that elite gymnasts pay.

Moceanu criticizes the lengthy selection process and suggests USA Gymnastics would be better off if U.S. team coordinator Martha Karolyi and her husband (and former team director), Bela, were no longer involved.

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Martha Karolyi said she was ‘saddened’ that Moceanu only remembered the bad days. ‘I feel sad that a gymnast so accomplished as Dominique, being part of the 1996 Olympic team and being the individual medalist in the 1995 world championships, can remember the harder days during the preparation. I feel sad.’

Moceanu had been the youngest member ever of a U.S. national team when she qualified as a 13-year-old in 1995 (before age restrictions came into play). She earned a team gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics, though her hopes for an all-around medal were dashed when she suffered a stress fracture earlier in the season.

Moceanu’s post-Olympic years were troubled at first.

In 1998, when she was 17, Moceanu got an order of emancipation from her father, Dumitru Moceanu (*previously mispelled Dimitru), and tried to get a restraining order against him after accusing him of stalking her. Moceanu eventually reconciled with her family, and she tried out for the 2000 Olympic team and for the 2005 national team, even attending camps at the Karolyi ranch.

She also participated in the 2004 post-Olympics gymnastics tour. She is married to former Ohio State gymnast Michael Canales and is the mother of a six-month-old daughter.

Martha Karolyi said she wouldn’t respond directly to Moceanu’s suggestion that the Karolyis be ousted from USA Gymnastics.

‘I think the majority of the girls certainly feel very proud they were able to train those many years and be dedicated and deal with the sacrifices,’ she said. ‘Just like in any other directions or any part of life, where in order to be successful, you really have to work hard.’

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-- Diane Pucin

Insert: Martha Karolyi at the 2008 Visa Gymnastics Championships on June 4 in Boston. Credit: Mary Schwalm / Associated Press

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