Former gymnast says Karolyis abused her

USA Gymnastics has never received a complaint about Bela or Martha Karolyi in the nearly 30 years they have been coaching in the United States, the governing body said Wednesday, a day after a Romanian gymnast alleged the two had abused her.

Trudi Eberle Kollar, a double silver medalist at the 1980 Olympics, said the Karolyis hit her when she was at the Romanian national training center in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Karolyis coached the Romanian team before they defected to the United States in 1981.

"USA Gymnastics has not received a complaint concerning their conduct from an athlete or parent," USA Gymnastics said in a statement. "The gymnasts the Karolyis personally coached in the States include Mary Lou Retton, Kim Zmeskal and Kerri Strug, all of whom have spoken positively about their experiences with the Karolyis."

Neither of the Karolyis could be reached for comment; Martha Karolyi, the current coordinator of the U.S. women's team, is in Argentina, and Bela Karolyi is in Houston. Bela has no official role with the U.S. team.

But in an interview with Romanian daily Cotidianul, Bela Karolyi did not deny Kollar's allegations, but said he feels no guilt for anything he did.

"Some of the girls have bad memories. Perhaps others say it was the best time of their lives," Bela Karolyi told the Cotidianul.

The allegations were first reported by KCRA, a television station in Sacramento, Calif., where Kollar now coaches.

Kollar, who won silvers in the team competition and the uneven bars in 1980 when she was known as Emilia Eberle, said most of the abuse came at the hands of Bela Karolyi. He would hit her on the side of her neck or the back of her head, sometimes drawing blood, and also kick her, Kollar said.

Martha Karolyi slapped her, Kollar said, and dug her fingernails into her neck.