Nique News


Note: This information was told to me by others so I can not verify if any of the following is true/correct. If there is any information here that is untrue/uncorrect, contact me and it will be changed or removed.
Thank You

**NOTE** All information about the lawsuit can be found here - Lawsuit 98

July 19, 1999 
MOCEANU, CHOW INJURED (From IG Online)

     The two most-likely repeat Olympians amongst the Magnificent 7 have hit career comeback
     roadblocks. 

     USA Today reported Monday that Dominique Moceanu, who has been struggling with back
     problems since she resumed training in February, will undergo arthorscopic knee surgery August
     11 in Houston. The surgery will keep Moceanu out of both the upcoming U.S. Championships
     and World Trials (and, therefore, out of Worlds). 

     "I'm very disappointed," Moceanu told USA Today, still insisting that her ultimate goal is the 2000
     Games. She added that she hopes to be back in competition shape in time for the 2000 American
     Cup. "I wouldn't do this if I didn't think it was realistic," she said.

     Observers at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, where Moceanu has been living with her coach
     Luminita Miscenko, indicate that Moceanu's time in the gym -- either at USOTC facilities or
     nearby Colorado Aerials, where Moceanu and Miscenko also worked out -- has been infrequent,
     at best, over the last couple of months. 

     Moceanu's last competition was almost a year ago at the 1998 U.S. Championships, where she
     finished third, hindered by her knee injury. Little more than a month after that meet Moceanu
     underwent an ugly, very public split with her parents which kept her out of the gym altogether for
     more than three months. Earlier this year Moceanu withdrew from what was supposed to be her
     first meet back, the Li Ning Cup in China, saying she wasn't quite ready for competition.

     Her withdrawal from Championships will keep her from making the U.S. national team for the first
     time since age 10. This also means that Moceanu, now 17, will not retain her current USA
     Gymnastics funding ($1,000 per month, based on her current national team status), but USAG
     president Bob Colarossi told USA Today that Moceanu can apply for a "contingency" grant to
     replace the lost funding.

     Moceanu's Olympic teammate, Amy Chow, who postponed her junior year at Stanford for her
     comeback attempt, is also uncertain about her future after recent ankle surgery.


June 23, 1999 Dominique hasn't been training fully for almost a month due to a sore back. She had a bone scan earlier this week and it could possibly be a stress fracture.
Let's hope it's not anything serious! Also, last saturday Dom was a bridesmaid at Shannon Miller's Wedding! To see pictures taken by the Edmond Sun, Go here!

April 18, 1999 This weekend Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu took part in a typical teen ritual -- she attended the prom. Now training in Colorado at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (where she also lives), Moceanu also works out at Tom and Lori Forester's nearby Colorado Aerials gym. It was the Forester's son who asked Moceanu to attend his prom. "They're just friends," Tom Forester told IG publisher Paul Ziert, "but it was something we thought would be a neat experience for her."

April 10, 1999 
Dominique and Father Reach Financial Settlement

By RON NISSIMOV 
Copyright 1999 Houston Chronicle 

Olympic gold medal gymnast Dominique Moceanu and her
father settled their legal fight Thursday by reaching a
confidential financial settlement and dissolving a one-year
protective order keeping the father away from the gymnast. 

"This has been an extremely difficult time for my family
and I hope that we can now begin to move forward in
support of one another," Dominique, 17, said in a press
release. "I know that deep down my father loves me, and of
course I love him, so I need to find a way in my heart to
give him forgiveness. I hope there is a chance that someday
things in my family can be normal again." 

Dominique's parents, Dumitru and Camelia Moceanu of
Spring, could not be reached for comment. Their attorney
Jimmy Phillips said, "I'm confident they'll be a family
again." 

Dominique's attorney, Ellen Yarrell, released a brief
statement stressing that the gymnast feels safe despite the
dissolution of the Dec. 9 ruling that ordered her father to
stay at least 500 feet away from her. 

"The parties entered into a settlement which includes a
confidentiality agreement prohibiting discussion of the
specific terms," the statement said. "However, it is
important for Dominique's fans and supporters to know that
she is confident that the settlement assures her personal
safety and achievement of her financial goals." 

Neither Phillips nor Yarrell would comment further, saying
a press release would be issued within a few days. 

The agreement was signed Thursday by presiding Family
Law Judge Patricia Lykos. State District Judge John
Montgomery -- who had issued the one-year protective
order -- died Feb. 13 of pancreatic cancer. His order came
after police revealed they were investigating Dumitru for
allegedly trying to hire a hitman to kill two of his
daughter's friends. 

Dumitru Moceanu had been ordered by a judge to undergo
a deposition March 10 concerning Dominique's finances,
but the deposition was never held because of the pending
agreement, Phillips said. 

The family turmoil became public after Dominique sued
her parents Oct. 19 to be declared a legal adult, saying her
father had squandered the money she had earned in her
10-year professional career. She also said her parents had
ruined her childhood by constantly emphasizing her career
and sometimes hitting her at events. 

The gymnast, who had run away from home Oct. 17, was
declared a legal adult Oct. 29. She is currently training for
the 2000 Olympics at the Olympic Training Center in
Colorado Springs, Colo. 

The Moceanu parents, Romanian immigrants who were
both members of that country's gymnastics team before
defecting to the United States, have denied their daughter's
allegations of misusing her money and destroying her
childhood. 

Dumitru Moceanu, 44, has said all of his daughter's
earnings went into building a 70,000-square-foot gym at
6120 Louetta in 1996 with Dominique's blessings. 

Dumitru Moceanu has refused to say how much the gym
cost, but his attorney Katherine Scardino said it was about
$2 million. Lawyers declined Thursday to discuss the fate of the gym,
which was apparently closed in February. 

The Moceanu parents set up a trust fund for their daughter's
earnings which they administer. Dominique did not have
access to the trust until she turned 35. 

Dominique sought a protective order against her father
after police told her Nov. 13 they were investigating him
for allegedly wanting to pay someone $10,000 to kill
Dominique's friend Brian Huggins and her former coach
Luminita Miscenco. 

Huggins, 32, who helped with construction of the gym, and
Miscenco, 26, had helped Dominique run away from home.
The parents had accused the friends of "brainwashing"
Dominique against them. Dumitru Moceanu denies any
involvement is a plot to kill his daughter's coach or friend. 

Dominique was born in Los Angeles in 1981 and moved to
the Houston area in 1990 to train with famed gymnastics
Bela Karolyi, also a Romanian immigrant. At 14, she was
the youngest member of the 1996 U.S. gold medal-winning
gymnastics team at the Atlanta Olympics.
New articles have been added on Dominique! Check back here in this section every so often!

Dominique is now coached by Luminita Miscenco in Colorado at the Olympic Training centre.

*Dominique's Old Coaches*
Bela and Marta Karolyi
Arthur Akopian
Bela Karolyi
Mihai and Silvia Brestyan
Nicolae-Liviu Mazilu & Rodica Apateanu (They were former gymnasts and coaches from Romania)
Kurt Thomas
Luminita Miscenco
Alexander Alexandrov
Rita Brown & Luminita Miscenco

Also, Domi has come out with a line of leotards and sportswear called Unique Sportswear!! Thanx to Megan for the info! ;)
Write to Unique Sportwear
c/o of Moceanu Gymnastics
6120 Louetta Rd.
Spring, TX 77379

Or call 1 877 DOMI MGI


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