David Popovici once again launches some harsh accusations at the authorities responsible for, or not, overseeing high-performance sports in Romania, as it happened in Paris, right next to the pool, immediately after winning the bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle event at the 2024 Olympics.
The Olympic, world, and European champion has sent a message to the authorities to get more involved in all high-performance sports.
Popovici has brought up the way he trains in the old Lia Manoliu pool, just steps away from the National Arena, where during the winter months there is an inflatable dome over the pool, and athletes face major issues due to the chlorine. And the cold. Penetrating.
"If I were to bring my opponents or friends from other countries to visit or train with me at 'Lia Manoliu,' they would say that I'm making fun of them. They would say it's a joke, show us where you actually train. I am convinced that they wouldn't believe me. That's why I and very few athletes are in this position of champions in sports. We don't have a real strategy for sports, we don't have such a great interest from politicians in sports.
It's not normal and parents shouldn't have to inquire about the people you have on your team. There should be a team provided, a serious sports strategy. Just because my father searched a lot, I managed to gather a very good team, with a nutritionist from the United States, a video analyst from Belgium, and physical trainers from Romania. We somehow came together, but athletes should have them from a young age and be provided by the state, because you end up representing the state."
I have been training at Lia Manoliu for 10 years. For 3-4 months a year, when it's cold, an improvised dome is placed over the pool, and everyone coughs their lungs out because there is too much chlorine and there isn't a very good ventilation system, considering that I don't have a proper gym where I can train. You can't get such a gym, no wonder it becomes a miracle to achieve sports performance in Romania. I am lucky that I can also train at Dinamo, at my club. Other swimmer friends of mine go to Bulgaria. It's not normal, and I want to talk about this a lot," said Popovici, during the MCN podcast hosted by Cosmin Nedelcu.
In the same podcast interview, Popovici revealed that the toughest moment of his career was at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, when he finished 6th in the 100-meter freestyle, despite being the reigning world champion. And only 4th in the 200-meter freestyle event. At that time, he also held the world record in the 100-meter event: "The frustration didn't last more than a minute. Obviously, I would have wanted to win, especially since I was used to what I had achieved the previous year. In that minute, all the news, the expectations of foreigners that I didn't meet, came to my mind. It lasted a minute, after which I felt so relieved. I'm not perfect, I'm not an extraterrestrial, I'm not that robotic phenomenon, I can lose."
D.A.