Sorana Cîrstea (WTA 29th place, 34 years old) joined David Popovici (19 years old), after the Olympic swimming champion, in the 200 meters freestyle, held a manifesto speech about the poor infrastructure conditions in Romanian sports .
Sorana Cîrstea supports David Popovici. Photo EPA EFE
After winning the bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle, David spoke openly about the poor conditions in which he trains during the winter at the “Lia Manoliu” Complex. The Romanian champion promised that, beyond the sports performances, he will get more involved from a civic point of view.
Sorana Cîrstea wrote a letter in which she thanked the athletes who are struggling for their dream, but gave up because of the state’s non-involvement. “Everyone is happy and proud when a Romanian athlete achieves a performance. Unfortunately, for 30 years it is not invested and no condition is created for Romanian sport.
The training conditions are deplorable, accuses Sorana Cîrstea
We have come to enjoy and experience ecstasy from exceptions, from unique unnatural performances. In every race we are “David” against Goliath. Much smaller or less developed countries than ours have understood the fact that sport is the best business card through which a people creates a global identity.
As for any sport in Romania, the training conditions are deplorable, perhaps even humiliating. It is a matter of pride when a Romanian athlete wins a medal at the Olympic Games or achieves a good result at a Grand Slam, bringing indescribable joy at the national level. But these results represent at most 1%, more precisely what is seen. What is not seen is hidden, there are tens of thousands of cruel stories behind these results.
Pictures and cards disappear and come back 4 years later
We do not ask, but we are used for the purpose of political gains. After all the pictures and congratulations, they all disappear and come back only after 4 years, when another happy “anomaly” occurs. Unfortunately, we no longer have expectations from the political environment for a long time, because 35 years have passed and all that remains are the pictures. We get a lot more help from private sponsors, which are coming up shyly, and we thank them for this one support.
In this paragraph we are not talking about tennis, as we are privileged compared to 99% of Romanian athletes. We manage one way or another, so what I’m trying to point out is the other dozen federations. We are a big country with a small boat, and in a few years (not decades) we will only have a lifeline left.
The boat of athletes, sunk by politicians
I don’t expect anything to change, but having several thousand matches with the Romanian flag on the scoreboard, I consider that I have earned the right to call things by their names. I would like to conclude by repeating that I am not asking for anything personally, but I do not hesitate to say that I thank all the athletes in that boat and the tens of thousands of young people who were drowned by the local conditions before they reached the pier!”wrote Sorana Cîrstea on Instagram.
At the current Olympic Games, almost all Romanian politicians boasted about the performances of our athletes, trying to gain electoral capital, led by President Klaus Iohannis.
