A Foucauldian Analysis of the Romanian School of Gymnastics as a Superpower Between 1976-1981: What Securitatea Knew About Bela Karolyi’s Method

Abstract

During the Cold War, the Romanian school of gymnastics represented a superpower in the world of WAG and became a part of Romania’s international politics strategy. This ascension started under the supervision of Bela Karolyi, the coach of the Romanian team between 1972 −1981. Bela Karolyi represented the type of coach who used tactics to produce performance. Forced by Securitatea surveillance, the political police of the communist government, Bela Karolyi had to constantly adapt the technologies of power to have the best tactics to win. By using the hierarchical power of communist government against the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, Bela Karolyi was able to build his tactics until the moment it ran against the government strategy. Forced to defect to the other side of the Iron Curtain, Bela Karolyi continued to improve his technologies of power and tactics that transformed the United States WAG team in a superpower.