Bela Karolyi, the polarizing coach who helped launch gymnasts to Olympic stardom, dies at 82

Bela Karolyi, the legendary gymnastics coach who guided athletes like Nadia Comaneci, Mary Lou Retton, and Kerri Strug to Olympic glory, has passed away at the age of 82. His death marks the end of a complex and controversial career that revolutionized American women’s gymnastics, but also attracted significant criticism for the harsh methods he employed to achieve success.

Born in Romania, Karolyi began his career not as a gymnast but as a junior boxing champion and Olympic hammer thrower. His entry into gymnastics came later, after failing a required course in the sport while studying at the Romania College of Physical Education. Rather than abandon the discipline, he became deeply immersed in it, eventually coaching the women’s gymnastics team at the same school. It was here he met Marta Enoss, who would later become his wife and coaching partner.

In the late 1960s, the Karolyis began working within the Soviet-dominated Eastern Bloc, where they set up a national gymnastics school and scouted talent at an early age. It was during this period that Karolyi discovered a 6-year-old girl performing cartwheels at recess—Nadia Comaneci, who would go on to become the first gymnast in history to score a perfect 10 at the 1976 Olympics. Comaneci’s breakthrough performance solidified Karolyi’s reputation as a world-class coach, though it came under the watchful eye of Romania’s communist dictator, Nicolae Ceaușescu, who used Comaneci’s success as a tool for propaganda.

The Karolyis’ career in Romania took a dramatic turn in 1981, when they defected from the country while on an exhibition tour in the U.S. They eventually settled in Texas, where Bela started coaching American gymnasts. His gym, Karolyi’s World Gymnastics, became a cornerstone of U.S. gymnastics, attracting top athletes from across the country.

Under his coaching, American gymnasts reached unprecedented heights. In 1983, Dianne Durham became the first African American woman to win the U.S. National Championship. A year later, Mary Lou Retton made history by winning the all-around title at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Kim Zmeskal followed in 1991 as the first American woman to win the individual all-around title at the World Championships.

However, Karolyi’s most iconic moment came at the 1996 Olympics, when Kerri Strug, after injuring her ankle, bravely performed a second vault to secure Team USA’s gold medal. Karolyi’s famous words, “Shake it off! You can do it!” as Strug hobbled to the vault, epitomized his coaching style. Though Strug’s courage became symbolic of the team’s victory, it also raised questions about the pressure Karolyi placed on athletes to compete through injury, an issue that would later become a focal point of criticism.

As Karolyi’s coaching career progressed, so did the scrutiny of his methods. He was accused of creating a toxic and abusive environment at the Karolyi Ranch, the U.S. Women’s National Team Training Center from 2001 to 2018. Many former gymnasts came forward with claims of physical and emotional abuse, including allegations that Karolyi and his wife physically struck athletes and forced them to train despite injuries. The Karolyis were also accused of enabling the actions of Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team doctor who was convicted of sexually abusing young athletes.

Despite the mounting allegations, Karolyi defended his approach, arguing that his tough love was essential for success in the high-pressure world of elite gymnastics. He dismissed his critics, calling them jealous and claiming that his athletes needed to be “little tigers” to succeed.

For some, however, Karolyi’s methods were instrumental in shaping their careers. Gymnasts like Betty Okino and Dominique Moceanu acknowledged the intense physical and mental toughness Karolyi instilled in them, even as they grappled with the challenges of his training style. Moceanu, who was part of the 1996 Olympic team, described Karolyi as a “complex individual” who left a lasting impact on the sport.

In his later years, Karolyi’s legacy remained deeply intertwined with the controversies surrounding his coaching methods. After Nassar’s conviction and the resulting legal settlements, including a $380 million payout to his victims, the Karolyis were no longer involved in U.S. Gymnastics, and the Karolyi Ranch was closed. Despite the criticisms, Karolyi’s influence on the sport cannot be denied. His athletes, many of whom became household names, changed the face of gymnastics and inspired future generations of gymnasts to push the boundaries of the sport.

As his death is mourned, former gymnasts like Comaneci and Moceanu have paid tribute to Karolyi’s impact on their lives, acknowledging both the difficult aspects of his coaching and the ways in which he helped shape their success. “He had a big impact and influence in my life,” Comaneci wrote, sharing photos of their time together on Instagram.

Bela Karolyi’s life and career were marked by remarkable triumphs and serious controversies, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to spark debate in the world of gymnastics for years to come.