Ex-Judoka Gella Vandecaveye has to give back replicas of Olympic medals: « I wanted to give them to Eddy, my trainer and support » (Kortrijk)
Gella Vandecaveye received her stolen medals, but the replicas must hand them in. – © JvdP
A year and a half after her Olympic medals were stolen, Gella Vandecaveye got her silver and bronze slab back from the police. Only: the replicas she wanted to give to her former trainer ‘Uncle’ Eddy, she is not allowed to keep them. They belong to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). That tells the former Topjudoka Bar goens.
The bewilderment was great when the silver medal from 1996 at the Olympic Games in Atlanta and Bronzen from 2000 in Sydney suddenly adorned at seeker 2dehands.be. A few days later, a very happy Vandecaveye was reunited with her rich prizes. On Monday evening the party ended a bit in a minor. The replicas that the ex-judoka had now has to return them. « I received a phone call from Cédric van Branteghem, CEO of the BOIC. I have to give the replicas back. They were quite resolutely in that, » sighs Vandecaveye.
Read too. Gella Vandecaveye finally has her Olympic medals back: « Fantastic feeling »
« If I could keep them, I intended to give the original to Eddy, » she says in the VTM program. « Eddy, my trainer and support for 37 years. It is his birthday tomorrow, so it was a very appropriate birthday gift. »
« Hartless », presenter Eric Goens calls the attitude of the IOC to claim the replicas again. « But somewhere understandable, » says the Judoka.
