“No matter which side, girl or boy”

Cristina Laslo had a complicated year. The conflict with coach Florentin Pera kept her away from the field for a long time. Before a New Year's Eve that she will spend in Milan, for the first time in her career outside of Romania, coordinator Gloria Bistrița was present in the Hai cu Link podcast.

For two hours, he did not “dribble” a single question. Among other things, he talked about the doping scandal at Corona Brașov, about the fight with Florentin Pera, about his love life, about politics, about the investments made recently and named the team where he wants to end his career.

The beginning from Cluj

In August 2014, Romanian juniors won the gold medal at the World Championship. They crushed Germany in the final, score 32-21. Cristina Laslo was among the stars of the team. Immediately, from the allowance of several hundred lei that he had at U Jolidon Cluj, he got a transfer to Buducnost, one of the League's forces, with a salary of 3000 euros.

I dreamed of reaching Buducnost or Gyor. After the world title, we were considered the “golden generation”. The one from Montenegro, the president of Buducnost, also had a very good generation from 1996-1997. He wanted me and Lorena Ostase very much. Only I arrived, Lorena didn't want to. They really wanted the Champions League, they had only won it twice. It was also the year Cristina Neagu left.

I didn't like that they didn't have a championship, we only played 12 games a season. I learned their language. In almost 8 months I had learned it, it has a grave and hard accent. I got there, it was just me and De Paula strangers. The coach didn't speak English, I had to learn

– Cristina Laslo

Brașov followed and the big hop of the career

In 2019, he returned to Romania. She dreamed of winning the title with Corona Brașov, but she saw herself trapped in the biggest doping scandal in domestic sport. Laslo considered herself cheated by the club and went to court. He has only one more step to a final favorable verdict.

I received an offer from Brașov, an extraordinary project. I accepted from the first. Everything was great at first. After 4 months the troubles started. We received the news of the suspension in November, we were in the group, before the World Championship in Japan. They came from the club, it was their idea. Big piece of crap! We asked, I have peace of mind that we asked. Our president held a meeting on this idea, he said that everyone is going. I told them that I have no reason to come, that I have no injuries, that I am not tired.

I only did the first procedure. And that was it! Just some light was coming in through an infusion, no blood, no vitamins, no steroids. I didn't feel anything! After years of fighting with them, I sued them with Eliza Buceschi and Viktoriia Tymoshenko, we managed to win. We are at the last appearance, at the appeal level. We are asking for damages and the contract period. Our contract has been terminated!

– Cristina Laslo

“Disregard on the part of Florentin Pera”

Cristina also discussed the former coaches. He praised Horațiu Poșca, the one who discovered it, then spoke sadly about the “break” with Florentin Pera. Excluded from the Bistrita squad, she says she temporarily withdrew from the national team in order not to spoil the atmosphere of the Euro 2024 squad.

Horațiu Pașca Photo Facebook Gloria Bistrița

“I was the captain of the team in Bistrita, there was no way I could be a simple player who goes to the gym and pretends that nothing happened. In Romania, the players are satisfied that they have a salary, that they are good for a short or long period. If you hide or prefer to avoid, not to get involved, you are the best. This does not represent me.

This is the first time I come to speak publicly about this topic. The moment I saw that things were degenerating, I obviously hired a lawyer. The lawyer who also represents me in the Corona case. He suggested me not to interfere, not to react to any article.

He (No. Florentin Pera) did not assume it and did not tell me passed it on. He did not tell me that from today I am no longer part of the training. Before the trip to Vâlcea, the people from the club called me upstairs to the office. They told me that they wanted my removal from being captain, that I might take a step back. He was also present at the meeting, he didn't even tell me that I was traveling. I saw a message on the group with the list of players. I wasn't on it.

It must have disturbed my way of calling things by their names. I also had the role of captain, it comes with other responsibilities. I wasn't into tactics. It was a difficult period for me, I was training separately, I was not engaged in the team. I like this whole journey from the locker room, from the coach, from the matches. For me it was the most painful, I didn't know when it would end. I saw that it was damaged.

I had to manage the relationship between him and the girls, I had to ask or receive something. I was constantly thrown in my face and I was fighting to be good. Something started to smell bad before the Final Four. He who has eyes to see has seen them. I felt it and they bothered me. I had the option to keep quiet and accept them… but I came to Bistrita to win trophies, not the 2nd and 3rd places in the Supercup.

Justice has been shown! Finally, after a long time, the truth came out. Many people who supported him, in Bistrita and beyond, realized the essence, what he was hiding behind. Non-assurance! That's the only word I can express right now.” said Laslo.

Laslo also said that only 3 players took his side: Ivana Kapitanovic, Gnonsiane Niombla and Natalia Nosek.

I worked with very great coaches, with Ambros Martin, Dragan Adzic, Bojana Popovici, Costică Buceschi, Horațiu Pașca, Carmen Amariei. I had no problem!

– Cristina Laslo

Asked if the style of Carlos Viver, Gloria's current coach, suits him, Laslo admitted: “From what I can see and how much I play, it seems not. But the team wins, a lot of goals are scored. He is a very good coach. Of course I don't like to sit on the bar, it's hard for me to do it. In the center is the only position where it doesn't change, it relies a lot on certain players. At the moment, it's Nusser.

But it's my problem and I get paid to handle it. QI like that he is a very well-intentioned guy, he prepares the matches very well, he is more committed. I will not go to the field to beg. I go to training, I train as well as I can. It's the first time I've sat on the bench for so long, it was hard for me to understand why. I don't feel at ease, but it's important that the team wins trophies!”.

In the same passage, the national team coordinator admitted that she will not continue in Bistrita from next summer. It will most likely evolve in the Brăila Danube.

Cristina Laslo: “My parents are simple, hardworking people from the countryside”

Cristina spoke with emotion about her childhood and her relationship with her twin brother: “We were poor, we were on the edge. We lived from month to month. My father just retired, he was a security guard. When we were little he was a security guard. They are simple people, hardworking people, from the country, they have been working since they were 12 years old. I didn't catch my grandparents, from my father's side I only caught his father.

They are common people, my mother now works in a label packaging factory. He works hard. My brother and I slept in the same bed, we got clothes from our older brother. All 5 of us were staying in a 3-room apartment. My brother and I had the same row of books.”

From politics to financial education

A lightning question about the presidential election turned into a financial lesson for young athletes.

“I voted for Nicușor Dan. You should know that I follow politics, yes. I follow because I panicked when the elections were held, I saw that the world was crazy. I wanted to know some things too. I'm worried about what's happening. We, the handball players, are in a golden bubble. I want to know what I'm dealing with when I leave there.

I feel for the Romanian citizens. Mother has the minimum wage in the economy, father a small pension. Seeing what's happening with tax increases, inflation, expensive apartments, I'm still studying. I want to see what direction they take. I invested in two expensive apartments in Cluj.

We don't have financial education. I've been working towards this for two years now. We only dream of handball from morning to night. We are in a circle of our own, I do not meet have architects… Private pension, crypto a little. I invest in more. I've been trying for about 4-5 years, but still the same, from what I've heard. Not on the stock market. I have state titles. I bought the apartments near Iulius, for 3000 euros/sqm. In 5 years, maybe it will be double or triple. That is if a metro station is built there,” revealed Laslo.

Cristina Laslo, waiting for her soul mate

There were no dodges when it came to questions about personal life either. Asked directly if she has a boyfriend or girlfriend, Cristina said: “Unfortunately, no. Although I would really like to. Unfortunately, the fact that we live in cities where we don't come from and the fact that we live only for handball… this subject is very affected. You don't get to make a relationship. I would like it very much! Regardless of which side. Whether it's male or female doesn't matter. I'd like it to be of quality and with love.”

Asked if she had any relationship so serious that the thought of marriage arose, Laslo was categorical:

Those thoughts have not yet appeared. I'm not against a relationship with a girl, I don't see a problem in taking a decision. I was in Montenegro, there alone. Then there was madness in Brașov, then in Baia Mare, also only on handball. It was just superficial stuff. No tight bond or anything strong.

You can't be in a small town, like Bistrita… you also have to take care. There are many people who have interests, for the image. It's sad and shallow. That's why it's twice as hard. Anyway, nowadays, I've also noticed among my friends that it's getting harder and harder to create an intimate relationship. There are other times

Laslo ended with the dream of the end of his career: “The last season at U Cluj! It's my wish. If U Cluj was in the first league, and I was in the last years, I would play in Cluj. With Amariei the coach, if you ask me. Any question would be related to Cluj, the answer is Cluj!”.