I had posted earlier today that Lebanese athlete Gretta Taslakian was banned from the Olympic Village and had to return home after she was seen wearing Ireland’s uniform during a training session. Added to that and according to Lorient-LeJour’s article, it was Gretta’s coach Vahé Abrahamian who testified against her and showed the Olympic committee pictures of Gretta wearing Ireland’s uniform (Not Available anywhere on the net).
I thought the story is very weird and did some research and asked some friends around and the truth is I was shocked to hear what really happened, or at least what I was told from some presumably reliable sources and read in an article. Here’s a summary of the Press Release Inter-Liban club issued yesterday:
1- Gretta is participating in the Olympic games for the third consecutive time unlike Vahe who’s there for the first time. As a result Gretta has a lot of friends among athletes and coaches.
2- Vahé was acting like an overprotective boyfriend the whole trip which obviously annoyed Gretta. He would get upset if she doesn’t have dinner with him and once threatened her to file a report against her before the 200m race. Gretta however never skipped practice and tried to contain the situation.
3- Gretta was friends with the Irish coach for years and with others as well and used to roam around the village all the time. The jacket she was wearing was a Nike one that had nothing to do with the Irish team.
4- The Lebanese Olympic committee should have gone through the report Vahe issued more thoroughly and verified the facts stated. Gretta is a great athlete that does not deserve such treatment. What a shame!
It looks like a sexual harassment case and if this is true, this coach will be in serious trouble when he gets back to Lebanon.
“this coach will be in serious trouble when he gets back to Lebanon”… Really? and who would care in Lebanon???
his wife?
You took the words right out of my mouth! We have drug smugglers, human traffickers, terrorists, road blockers, foreign agents, traitors, petty thieves, murderers, rapists AND many others roaming the Lebanese streets as freely as she was roaming the Olympic village and nobody gives a rat’s ass… On the upside, I do like your idealism and recommend this read for you http://beirutspring.com/blog/2012/07/27/why-dont-the-lebanese-care-about-the-olympics/
and there was a hilarious time when you used to have ME, and i was one of each… except the raping part. i wasn’t that.
If this is what it’s being made to seem, I think Gretta should file a complaint with the Olympic Committee against her coach and against the committee themselves for their inability to properly investigate the situation before making an arbitrary decision. Furthermore, regardless of whether or not the jacket in question was another Nation’s or Nike’s, there is precedence in that a Kenyan Olympian was seen world-wide wearing another Nation’s clothing and NOTHING was done about it. If this is true, I find it rather sad (and odd) that not a single word about the matter is being uttered anywhere outside of the Middle East.
Maybe it really was against the rules to wear that jacket. Maybe in the case of the Kenyan they didn’t want to be called racist so they made an exception for him?
Her coach obviously did hate her for some reason, there’s no other explanation for what he did, but I doubt it’s a conspiracy among thee Olympic Committee.
You guys are so simple minded. You are discussing based on what RRA ( Gretta’s club) president wrote in behalf of Gretta , trying to attack the National Olympic Committee and the Lebanese Athletic Federation ( because he was banned for one year the result of his behavior), and of course attacking the coach of Gretta, because he never wanted her to be coached by someone who doesn’t work for his club, on whom he cannot impose his authority and with whom he had many conflicts and finally he got an opportunity to revenge over the media.
Gretta’s coach is a happily married man with the most gorgeous wife and enjoying a new born babe. He trains her since 2009.
Anyone who knows him and knows Gretta will make fun of the articles written in the newspapers.
Gretta and her president reacted very fast without even knowing why she was sent back. Relying on gossips instead of waiting for the report which the NOC and LAF will post soon about what really happened in London.
She could have came back and remained silent until a report was delivered , then they could reply and react.
Gretta went to the Olympics because she is the best female athlete in Lebanon, but she was absolutely not excited to race. And who are close to her might have read her status on facebook. “No goals , no expectations , but enjoy..”
Since day one she didn’t submit to her training plan, she only trained once then she disappeared from the sight of the officials and her coach. The rest of the Lebanese Olympians were always with their team and officials, like any other Olympian in the village, because everyone is there to raise the name of his country and they follow a strict discipline.
Gretta wanted to have complete freedom and be busy socializing and having fun. No one saw her face after day 2, and they could only find her with this Irish trainer around midnight , 3 days in row and lunchtime the day of her race. They remained silent despite the chef wanted to go and rebuke her but many stopped him twice. Her coach is a Doctor and runs a medical center, he left his work and went there for her to be super ready for the race and do a personal best at least.
Her coach warned her that he will write a report that she is always absent from the sight of everybody and not submitting to the plan (trainings,physio, nutrition, rest, focus etc) designed for the camp. She didn’t care about it, and continued neglecting the rules. The day of the race, in the morning her coach wrote a report about Gretta not submitting to the plan and never training and being always absent, therefore he will decline from coaching her. The Federation will post the report of her coach and everybody will see that there’s absolutely nothing of what is mentioned in the newspapers.
Lunch time again they saw her with the Irish guy, and during the pre-race warm up, her coach went to the stadium and found her in the Irish boot , wearing green jacket exactly like the Irish team, and being coached for pre-competition by the Irish guy. Gretta’s coach warned the Irish guy that what is happening is illegal and the Olympic committee can take severe action against such behavior and left. The Irish guy followed Gretta’s coach and tried to convince him that he doesn’t have intention to coach her and that Gretta told him different story and apologized a hundred time.
By that time, The officials arrived to the warm up area to watch Gretta preparing for the race. They met Gretta’s coach arguing with the Irish coach. Finally they saw Gretta sitting in the Irish boot wearing green like them. (Gretta didn’t realize the officials were on track watching her). The NOC president lost his mind and wanted to go and stop her from racing and send her back to Lebanon on the first plane. many stopped him from doing so and asked him to allow her at least to race. One of the federation members took a picture of her in the Irish boot wearing like them. (All the Lebanese team, at least the day of the race wore Lebanese Red jacket written LEBANON on the back). Gretta went to stadium with the green jacket and no one could guess which country does she represent if it wasn’t announced. Of course no one expected her to run well after all.
After the race the NOC and the LAF called her and took her badge and claimed that she will go back to Lebanon on the first plane.
I guess you all can assume why she was sent back after the accumulation of many irresponsible acts. Being hurt and angry, she imagined by her own the scenario that might have happened and reacted through her club president’s announcement.
Soon the NOC and the LAF will post all details.
This man Vahe Abrahamian is a total bad person, with serious problems! He was in relation with Gretta Taslakian and it was bcs of her that he divorced from his poor previous wife! Gretta did not want him anymore, but continued with him as trainer. (Maybe still in relation, who knows?) He also self-entitle himself as doctor, but he is not a doctor, its fake.
Also he have a disabled child in Brazil, of 5 years old, a small girl, which he had with a brazilian woman and never sent support for her treatments, the mother got in bad situation and alone to take care of the child!
Happily married? After destroying lifes and faking people, sounds good that he got into this scandal!
Dear Nadia, it seems u r so much affected by Mr. Abrahamian. Have u been in love with him apparently and failed to end up with him? coz u r not protecting Gretta by saying : “Maybe still in relation, who knows?” but only talking anything by getting advantage of this blog in order to create scandal?
why the subject is being dragged to dirty talks? We r not here to eat each others flesh. would it be good for instance to talk about Gretta’s personal life or her past? this is not the subject of discussion. Hater is bad .
Gretta´s scandal is only the tip of the iceberg about this man. I won´t answer you Bob! I am a big fan of Gretta and hope she will be able to open her mouth, but I doubt she will do so! It would be a favour to lebanese society to have Vahe Abrahamian uncovered and paying for his acts! Go Gretta, dont be silent, dont protect this man and give what he deserves, you have the power to do so, you know you have! Do a favour to the lebanese society, you have all in your hands, and you know that he deserves! Dont be afraid, lebanese people will adore you and protect you for being such a brave girl!
Lebanese authority also should check his credentials for running a personal medical clinic in Lebanon without being a medical doctor! Time to stop!
Manoela (Nadia), what r u trying to do? Involving urself in all this?
this is an extremely stupid decision reeflecting the lebanese mentality