The president of the Romanian Handball Federation (FRH), Cristian Gatu, declared on Tuesday, for Realitatea FM, that he had heard several things connected with the accusations of sexual harassment brought to the former coach Lucian Rasnita, but he did not have the “courage” to discuss with him about such a delicate issue.
The daily ProSport disclosed that Lucian Rasnita, former coach of the Romanian women and men national handball teams, who is now coordinating coach of the National Olympic Center of Excellency (CNOE) from Ramnicu Valcea, is charged with sexual harassment by several athletes.
Gatu mentioned that FRH has already started an inquiry in this case and has called CNOE Board for Friday, when the required measures will be taken.
Several players from the Women Academy, created by Cristian Gatu, rebelled against the coach Lucian Rasnita. The girls could not bear any longer the behaviour of the coordinator of the Center from Ramnicu Valcea and made amazing declarations which arrived, through the manager of the Technical Energy College, Ion Florescu, directly on the desk of the local mayor, Mircia Gutau (president of CNOE Board). “It is true that I received three complaints. I cannot take any stand before I make an inquiry. Maybe behind these denunciations there are persons that want to harm Lucian Rasnita,” declared Gutau, quoted by ProSport.
The first complaint was written by Andreea Molnar Adespii, one of the stars of the national youth team. Her gesture was followed also by other athletes. In her declaration, Andreea Adespii stated that on January 17, 2009, at the tournament from Bacau, she was called by Lucian Rasnita in his room, where he started to touch her, to cuddle her, and asked her to lie down by his side. Rasnita denies the accusations and requests proofs, not words.
