Steliana Nistor Turns Down American Offer to Finish Degree in Romania

It never rains but it pours. A while ago, we couldn't find anything on Steliana Nistor, but were swamped with stories about Sandra Izbaşa. Now it appears to be Nistor Time in the Romanian press. A week after the Revista VIP story we posted a few days ago, Adevărul posted a story about the former gymnast. Her health issues do get a mention, but most of the article is about Steliana's new life in her new apartment. Interestingly, the article says that Steliana turned down an offer to become a coach in America in order to finish her degree in Romania. It's probably a good thing she did; we doubt someone who can barely lift a cup of water would make a good coach. However, we do hope the offer will be renewed once Steliana has finished her degree and is feeling a bit better...

This is the Adevărul story. It has a very abrupt ending, but that might be because it's only the first half of a two-part story. It wouldn't be the first time Adevărul cut a story into two without mentioning it.



Steliana Nistor: Life After Gymnastics

The specially designed wall in the new home she received from the Sibiu municipal authorities is equipped with shelves full of trophies, medals and photos spanning her entire career. There are dozens of them. There's a story behind each and every single one of them, but Steliana never gets them mixed up. She remembers every single event and has a thorough recollection of how hard she had to work for each of them, as well as of her nerves she experienced and her happiness whenever she got to step onto the medal rostrum.

She doesn't have time to tell all the stories, because doing so would take all day, and she doesn't have much time, especially now that she is trying to make up for the time she "lost" while training and competing.

"Now I know what time is worth, and I'm doing everything I haven't been able to do over the last nineteen years," says the gymnast who became European champion with the team last year.

"She can't get enough of staying in town with friends and fellow students, and of breathing the free air," says her mother, who shares her daughter's first name, Steliana. At the moment her time is divided between studying, friends and recovery from injuries.


Steliana the student (photo: ProSport)

Studying instead of America

No sooner had she announced her retirement than Steliana received an offer to cross the Atlantic, to become a coach in America. The invitation came from her former junior coach, Livia Ponoran, who now coaches at a gymnastics academy in America. [Last thing we heard, Ponoran had just joined the coaching staff at WOGA.] Knowing her former pupil's ambitions and capacities, and also the state of Romanian gymnastics, especially in relation to young gymnasts who cannot compete anymore, Ponoran decided to invite Steliana to the United States.

"I received an invitation from Livia Ponoran, but first I want to finish the degree I have embarked upon," confirms the European champion, who is in Year 1 of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport in her place of birth. She would also like to study psychology, being goaded in that direction by her older brother Marian, but first she wishes to see how she'll do with the one course on which she has already embarked.

Her flatmate: Puffy

As a thank-you for her hard work and for the fact that she put Sibiu on the sporting map, Steliana received a rental apartment from the town council last year. The moment you enter the house, or rather the living room, you are greeted by a whole wall full of trophies.

Her bedroom is taken up by a few plush dolls which remind her of her glory days and her fans. "I have many more dolls than these, but I'm still waiting for a few pieces of furniture which I've ordered to put them in," says the bronze medalist of the Beijing Olympics. She has already finished furnishing her kitchen. "There's all sorts of equipment in there, but I can't cook. My Mom cooks my meals," adds Steliana.

And because she is living in her apartment on her own, her fellow students have given her a present: a perfectly white rabbit with reddish eyes, called Puffy, who keeps her entertained. "He's my flatmate," says Steliana, amused.


Steliana with Puffy (photo: Adina Blaj/Adevărul)

Help from Mariana Bitang

Health problems clipped her wings at an age at which she still had plenty to give to the sport. "Physically I can't do it anymore. It's hard, but I just can't," says the champion, who suffered a great deal at her last few competitions because of backaches and pain in her joints. She was an all-arounder, a complete gymnast who competed on all four events, and they all made demands on different parts of her body. After that sacrifice, one thing saddens Steliana.

"After you retire, people who used to receive you with eyes sparkling of joy and a smile around their lips close their door before you've even had a chance to ask something... I still have backaches and now I also have a problem with a joint in my hand. I have physical therapy every day, but nobody has helped me, except Mrs. Mariana Bitang."

About That Steliana Nistor Story...

Over the last few days we have received several comments and e-mails from readers asking what was being done to help Steliana Nistor and whether they could donate money for her treatment. We regret to say that as far as we know, nothing is being done yet. What is even more worrying is that we're not sure anything can be done about Steliana's health issues. If there's anything we've learned from translating all those stories about Jade Barbosa's hand, it is that necrosis cannot be cured, although complete rest has been known to bring some relief. As for Steliana's back, if it's really as great a mess as several doctors have apparently attested, we're not sure anything can be done about that either. But we obviously hope for the best...

We regret to say that we cannot establish a fund for Steliana ourselves as we're just a little too busy to manage that kind of thing. However, we would like to make the following request of our Romanian readers (we know we've got a few): if you hear anything about any fund-raising activities being conducted on behalf of Steliana, will you please let us know so that we can tell those of our readers who wish to contribute to her recovery how to go about it? Mulţumim frumos anticipat and all that!


(Photo: ProSport)

Steliana Nistor: "Right Now I Can Barely Lift a Cup of Water to My Mouth"

A few days ago the Romanian online magazine VIP posted a story on Steliana Nistor in which the former Romanian national champion once again complains about her injuries (click here for an earlier interview in which Nistor mentions her problems) and the fact that the powers that be are doing nothing to help her. According to the VIP interview, Steliana's back is a "complete wreck" and her hand has been diagnosed with necrosis, an affliction which will sound awfully familiar to those of you who have been following our updates on Jade Barbosa. Perhaps Steliana should give Jade a call one of these days, to compare notes...

Anyhow, we are not familiar with VIP Magazine, but they seem to have done their homework in this case, talking not just to Steliana, but asking her former coach Raluca Bugner, national team coach Nicolae Forminte, former national team coach Octavian Belu, FRG President Adrian Stoica, and the doctor treating Steliana, Cătălin Cîrstoiu, to comment on the case. Nobody seems willing to accept the blame for the unpleasant situation in which Steliana currently finds herself, and Steliana herself doesn't seem to know what she wants or needs; all she knows is that she's in pain and needs money. Here's the story...


(Photo: Iris van den Broek/Gymnasticsphotography)

European Champion Steliana Nistor Does Not Have Enough Money to Get Treatment in Canada

The case of European gymnastics champion Steliana Nistor, who prematurely retired from competitive gymnastics due to recurring pain in her left hand and back, made waves at the end of last year. At age 19, Steliana left the training center at Deva and went home, to Sibiu, where she is a first-year student at the Faculty of Physical Education. Initially, Steliana did not want to quit the sport; she just wanted to take a break. Unfortunately her pain never disappeared, even when she stopped training and competing. It even got worse. At present, Steliana can only just support herself.

"Mr. Belu and Mrs. Bitang helped me to get a checkup at the Academic Medical Center in Bucharest, with Dr. Cătălin Cîrstoiu, who diagnosed me with necrosis in the left hand. I can tell you the pain is still there. Right now I can barely lift a cup of water to my mouth. No doctor has been able to give me a proper diagnosis of my backaches yet. They all said my back was a complete wreck! I still get physical therapy and kinetotherapy, but I can't say I'm noticing any results. Mr. Cîrstoiu promised to try and help me to go to Canada, but I'm not sure whether that would be for treatment or for surgery. Unfortunately, I don't have any money, because I'm not receiving any wages from anyone. I tried to be a fitness trainer for a while, but I wasn't up to it. Mr. Topescu [a famous Romanian sports commentator] promised he'd help me get a job as a gymnastics commentator for TVR, when my former teammates are competing in Romania," confessed a sad Steliana.

She is waiting for help from the Romanian Gymnastics Federation
Since she doesn't have the funds required for treatment abroad (she can barely even support herself in daily life), Steliana has decided to ask for her dues. "I can't and won't recover at my own expense. I worked hard for Romania and to have some meaning in my life, not to get treatment. But many people have already forgotten about me. The normal thing to do would be for the Romanian Gymnastics Federation to help me, but nobody is asking after my health anymore. I tried to ask Mr. Adrian Stoica, the President of the Federation, for help. He seemed happy that I had called him and told me to wait... I asked him to help me earn some money by commentating gymnastics competions on TV. Since then I haven't heard from him..." said the former athlete.


(Photo: Reuters)

Doctors blame repetitive trauma
With regard to Steliana's case, Dr. Cătălin Cîrstoiu told us [VIP Magazine]: "As with other sports champions, this is a case of repetitive trauma injuries. She was a competitive athlete at a very high level, and all high-performance athletes suffer from this problem. From my point of view, until she leaves for Canada (if indeed she does), she would probably benefit from conservative treatment, as she is still a young girl. I can't say yet how much her trip to Canada would cost, because Steliana hasn't even decided yet whether she wishes to undergo surgery or just to have treatment."

Adrian Stoica: "We will study the case"
The President of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, Adrian Stoica, seemed surprised when our magazine [VIP] contacted him. "I should tell you that I'm currently at a judging course in Doha, Qatar, and I have no idea what's going on in Romania. Until just now, I didn't know anything about Steliana's problems. Color me surprised... It's true, I did talk to her about the possibility of commentating gymnastics competitions on TV, but that was all I did. Right now I can't say anything about money for potential treatment. I'll study the case. Right now I can't deliver a verdict!" Mr. Stoica declared.

Repetitive strain, the key to the problem
Regarding the causes of Steliana Nistor's problems, Octavian Belu explained: "This is an occupational disease. Tennis players often get epicondylitis [tennis elbow]; gymnasts get problems in their joints. Over time, the joints get worn down, even if you try to keep the problem under control by bringing in the latest equipment, etc. Some athletes experience such problems when are in their thirties or forties, others earlier than that. As a sport, gymnastics barely even makes the top-10 of dangerous sports; boxing, skiing, ice hockey and contact sports are more dangerous. Someone recently told me that soccer players are more prone to broken bones than K1 fighters. Anyhow, elite athletes all have [health] problems afterward, but some are stronger than others," said Octavian Belu in conclusion.


(Photo: Reuters)

Belu urges prudence
The [former] head of the National Sports Agency, Octavian Belu, recommends prudence before the former gymnast decides to go to Canada. "First of all, we should check whether there isn't some hospital closer to Romania, in Hungary or Slovenia. The problem is that many athletes have gone abroad without recommendations from Romanian doctors, and their treatment didn't sort any effect. Marian Drăgulescu also went far away to have kinetotherapy, and he still messed up at the Olympics. If it's necessary, we will help her with everything, from our own pockets. There is no clause for this in the ANS's budget. Neither the Federation nor anyone else can make public funds available, but organizing TV appeals or enlisting the help of business people who want to help out financially might be a solution," said Belu.

Nicolae Forminte: "Steliana was in pain when she joined the national team"
As for us [VIP Magazine], we have tried to find out when the health problems troubling the European champion began. Nicolae Forminte, the coach of the national women's gymnastics team, told us: "Steliana never had any injuries in Deva, not while training with me. In 2000, when I was coaching the juniors at Oneşti, she was healthy when I left the place. In the meantime, she trained there [in Oneşti] under several coaches, so I don't know if she ever had a serious injury, and if so, when. What is certain is that she was complaining of backaches by the time she came to Deva. And just a short while ago, when I last spoke to her, she told me her back wasn't hurting too badly anymore and the main problem was her hand. While she was training at Deva, she never told me her hand was hurting. But be that how it may, our door will always remain open for her, whenever she needs help."

The champion's first coach says accusingly: "The problems with her hand started in Deva!"
Coach Raluca Bugner is the one who discovered Steliana Nistor when the future national team member was only six years old. Accompanied by Raluca Bugner, Steliana later trained at Oneşti and won three titles at the Junior Europeans. After that she went to Deva. When we asked her about this subject and told her that Nicolae Forminte denies that Steliana sustained a hand injury in Deva, Mrs. Bugner fulminated: "He's blaming others! The problems with the hand started at Deva and Mr. Forminte knows it. Prior to that Steliana never had any [hand] injuries. As for her backaches, I myself went to Germany with her for treatment back in 2005. I was always worried about her when I coached her, and I believe Steliana's problem was caused by repetitive strain."

To be continued, we expect.


The troublesome left hand (photo: VIP)

Steliana Nistor: "Afterward No One Cares About You"

Remember Steliana Nistor? Of course you do. For a few years, she was Romania's most successful representative at international competitions, winning all-around medals as well as medals on several events, including (gasp!) bars. She retired after the Olympics at age 19 because she was suffering from several injuries, most notably bad backaches. For a few weeks after she announced her retirement, she was the center of attention. Then there was silence, until ProSport (who else) caught up with her and asked her a few questions about her new life. This is what Steliana told them.


(photo: ProSport)

Doubled Agony

After her retirement from competitive sports, 19-year-old Steliana Nistor went home, to Sibiu, to be close to her family. "She's dividing her time between college, her apartment, and her family. All I want for her is to be healthy and find some peace," Steliana Dovlecel, Steliana's mother, confessed. Stela, a double World silver medalist in 2007 and bronze medalist with the team in Beijing, told ProSport what her life is like these days, how she is going to spend her first family Christmas, and what operations she is going to undergo in the future.

Her life after gymnastics: "It's very different. You have a lot of freedom, in the sense that you know you don't have that strict a schedule. You have to learn how to manage your own time and life."

University: "I'm a freshman studying Physical Education and Sport in Sibiu. The courses are interesting. I try to attend all my classes, because I just love the atmosphere. I'm also doing some gymnastics here. Admittedly, not on the same level as before, but it works for me."

Her fellow students: "They received me with open arms. They didn't wait for me; they welcomed me [of their own accord]. They're great people. I've learned a lot from them."

Pastimes: "I still go out with my classmates. [Note: The Romanian says "colleagues," which could refer to either her classmates or her former teammates. We think she's talking about her classmates rather than her former teammates, as she uses the masculine version of the word rather than the feminine one she'd probably use if she were referring to her teammates, but we're not sure.] It was strange at first, because I had the feeling I didn't know how to behave or what to say, but now it's okay."

Fame: "When you're on the team and competing, everyone wants you. Afterward no one cares about you. During the first month after I'd retired, I still received a few phone calls. People were still interested in me. After that there was absolutely no sign of interest. Just quiet and people forgetting about me."

Bitang helps her

Her health: "My back still hurts. It's as painful now as it was when I was a gymnast. I also seem to have developed a problem with the joint of one of my hands. I now have a 'liquid fist.' Sometimes I can't even lift a pitcher of water."


Steliana wearing several braces that indicate the full extent of her injuries (photo: ProSport)

Surgery: "I'm currently awaiting an answer from Mrs. Mariana Bitang, who is helping me a lot. She's very supportive and she's told me she'll try to help me. I'll first undergo surgery on my hand next year, and after that we'll see what to do about my back."

The gym: "I can't tell you how much I miss the gym. I wish I could be there now, but I can't anymore. I miss the whole atmosphere and everything."

Competitions: "I watch competitions on TV and my heart breaks when I think that I too could have been there. But no matter how much I'd like to be there, I can't go on. My injuries just hurt too much."

Coaches: "I still talk to my coaches. I keep in touch with them because I know they helped me and I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without them. I greatly respect them and I'm grateful to them. So it seems normal to me that they should want to see how I'm doing."

She lives on her own

Family: "The best thing that has happened to me is that I've been reunited with my family. I'm closer to my dear family now, making up for all the years during which I was away from them."

Her own apartment: "It's all done up. I moved in 2 days ago. I've furnished it and decorated it. It was team work; my mother and I did it together. I love the way it has turned out."

Housekeeping: "It's a bit harder, living on your own, but I like it. I have responsibilities I've never had before. I love absolutely everything that's happening to me right now."

The holidays: "I'm celebrating Christmas with my family, in my apartment. It will be a kind of housewarming party, with my beloved family. I don't know what I'll be doing on New Year's Eve. I don't have any plans yet."


Steliana in her hometown, Sibiu (photo: Gazeta Sporturilor)

Our response? We're sorry to hear Steliana is still suffering the injuries that caused her to retire so early, but we're glad to hear that Mariana Bitang seems so supportive. That's wonderful news. We hope the operations will improve Steliana's quality of life.

We're also somewhat relieved to hear that Steliana does in fact miss gymnastics. We were a bit concerned when she said just after retiring that she didn't miss the sport at all, as if her heart hadn't been in it for the past 14 years or so. Turns out it was, and she does miss the sport. Phew.

All the best, Steliana. Rest assured you're not forgotten.

News Roundup

--- USA Gymnastics reports that Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson have each painted a pair of boots for UGG Australia’s sixth annual Art & Sole Collection, which raises money for a children's research hospital. The boots will be auctioned in a few days and all the money will go to the hospital. While we approve of the idea, we frankly can't see anyone but die-hard Nastia and Shawn fans shelling out any money for these boots. UGGs are ugly enough to begin with, and we're not sure Nastia and Shawn actually improved them with their art work. Still, we appreciate the thought. Nice work, girls!


Steliana Nistor in her final competition, the Olympics (photo: Reuters)

--- More Athlete of the Year news: Sport365 reports that Steliana Nistor was voted the best female athlete of her province, Sibiu. The Romanian champion retired after the Olympics and is now a freshman at the Sibiu College of Physical Education and Sport. Also, according to GymPower, Holland's Sanne Wevers, who will present her spectacular beam routine in Madrid this weekend, has been nominated for best female athlete of her province, Overijssel. She faces some stiff competition from two Olympic gold medalists, so we doubt she'll win.

--- As you probably know, the World Cup Final isn't the only competition that will take place this weekend. Other international competitions will be held in Belarus and Belgium, while Germany's eyes will be focused on the Bundesliga Final, an exciting format in which gymnasts from two teams compete head to head and points are awarded for the margin by which the winner beats his direct opponent. Both the men's and the women's finals look very exciting on paper. The men's final will be a battle between KTV Straubenhardt (represented, among other people, by Fabian Hambuchen, Marian Dragulescu, Robert Gal, and Sergei Kharkov) and Cottbus, whose most famous team members are Philipp Boy and Ukrainian veteran Roman Zozulya. Philipp Boy admits that the Straubenhardt boys are the favorites to win the title: "If they [Straubenhardt] do a good job, we'll barely stand a chance." He hopes the Straubenhardt boys will succumb to the pressure and start making mistakes: "If they make a mistake, we want to make them sweat." He also said he and his teammates are not at all nervous about taking on the almighty Straubenhardt team. "What nerves? We're the underdogs, so we're quite relaxed going into the final. Let the Straubenhardt guys be nervous."


Philipp Boy, looking forward to competing head to head with Hambuchen (photo: Reuters)

--- The Bundesliga's women's final could well be even more exciting than the men's. According to the Bundesliga site, three out of the four teams in the final have the chops to win the title. Unfortunately, some teams will be missing their greatest stars. Cologne will probably be hopeless without injured Oksana Chusovitina. Chemnitz has lost Susann Herbst to injury, and Stuttgart will have to do without Marie-Sophie Hindermann. However, Stuttgart will have Kim Bui, who (like Fabian Hambuchen and Marian Dragulescu) withdrew from the World Cup vault final in order to help her club team win the national title. The fourth club, Hoffnungsthal, will be missing its Belgian star, Aagje Vanwalleghem, who did decide to go to Madrid. However, the club will be able to avail itself of the services of national team member Anja Brinker, who recovered from her injury sooner than expected and proved a force to be reckoned with in the club's last regular match before the final.


Kim Bui will skip the World Cup Final in favor of the Bundesliga Final (photo: AFP/Getty Images)

--- In men's gymnastics, the French, German, Swiss, and British under-16 teams had a friendly in Bristol, England, on Saturday, December 6. The hosts won comfortably, beating Switzerland by 411.750 to 403.500 and proving there's more to British men's junior gymnastics than Louis Smith. Germany placed third (391.950), 1.650 ahead of fourth-place France (390.300). In the individual all-around, the Brits scooped up all the medals. Reiss Beckford won, mostly thanks to an impressive 15.350 vault (84.250 total). Ashley Watson came second (83.550), while Max Whitlock ranked third (82.900). The first non-Brit was Switzerland's Oliver Hegi in fourth place (82.650). The complete results can be downloaded here (click on the link at the bottom of the page).


Team GB's new hope, Reiss Beckford (photo: BBC?)