Eduard Novak - With investments in infrastructure we can hope for medals at Winter Olympics in 10-15 years

Only in 10-15 years can Romania hope for a new Olympic medal at the Winter Olympics, and this only if in the next 4-5 years it invests in infrastructure and in children's clubs, the Minister of Sports, Eduard Novak, said in an interview to AGERPRES.

He says that Romania, which won only one Olympic medal at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, needs a sports infrastructure for winter sports nationwide and not just zonal, as is now the case with hockey or biathlon, to have a larger selection base. He gave the example of Hungary, which in 20 years has managed to have world champions in winter sports as a result of its investments.

A former speed skater, Novak says he understands perfectly the athletes who are forced to train abroad in order to compete in the Olympic Games and explained why he called "heroes" the Romanian athletes who will participate in this year's edition in Beijing.

The Minister of Sports considers that Romania presents itself with a satisfactory number of athletes at the Beijing Olympics, stating, however, that it is still waiting for explanations from the Romanian Ski Biathlon Federation (FRSB) for the refused place. He stated that there will be sanctions following the decision taken by the FRSB, but that he does not want the athletes to suffer because of this. Novak categorized the impossibility of the ministry to intervene in such cases as a "slippage of the Romanian sports system". "I mean, we finance and do what everyone wants, and that's not fair at all," said Eduard Novak.

As to his expectations from this edition of the Olympics, Novak said that he has high hopes for the athletes from bobsleigh and sledge, who could get a place among the top six.

Eduard Novak stated that he hopes that this year, after many years of delays and lawsuits, the construction of the "Mihai Flamaropol" Skating Rink in the capital city will resume.

Romania will participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing (February 4-20) with 22 athletes in sleigh, bobsleigh, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, biathlon and speed skating.