Octavian Belu is the new national coach of India. This surprising news about the former Romanian head coach came out of India today. "The girls are still motivated and hardworking there", Belu said after the official press-conference in the Holiday Inn Hotel next to the Tajhmahal monument, "right the opposite way to the Romanians who only eat and blubber all day long. I can see great prospectives here. This was the main reason for me to go." By one thing Belu was very impressed: "They even do there laundry themselves and their rooms have been very clean!".

But these were not the only reasons for him to go. "I love Indian food too", Belu said with a smile, "when I was on international tournaments, I always tried to have it. I love the spices!" Indias prime minister was also very glad to hear the news. In a paper of the public relations office of India he spoke of "a great chance for the future of Indian gymnastics" and "new horizonts which can be opened now."

Indias gymnastics Federation (GFI) plans to celebrate the new coach with a big feast on April 1st now. "But after that", the GFI president said, "we start preparing for the Worlds in Debrecen. Having a minimum of two girls in the finals is a must now." The destiny of Marianna Bitang is quite unsure. Some sources say that she was asked by the Dutch federation for being an assistant coach for the national team.

"We are really sorry that Octavian is leaving us", Adrian Stoica, the secretary general of Romanian federation wrote in a fax to gymworld. "it will be hard to find such a good coach for this cheap price again." The Federation will inform the public when they found a new coach. "This may need 4 or 6 weeks", he went on, "but it's not that tragic, because there is nobody in Deva except Raducan right now. And she knows, where the pantry is."

Gymworld keeps you up to date, please stay tuned for more information as soon as we get it!

Siht-Sia Ekoj, India