"A big impact and influence on my life," Comaneci, who was just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Romania at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, posted on Instagram.
Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics women's elite program in 1999 and incorporated a semi-centralized system that eventually turned the Americans into the sport's gold standard.
During the height of the Larry Nassar scandal in the late 2010s, over a dozen former gymnasts came forward saying the Karolyis were part of a system that created an oppressive culture that allowed Nassar's behavior to run unchecked.
It did not come without a cost. He was pushed out after the 2000 Olympics after several athletes spoke out about his tactics.
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