Bela Karolyi: Gymnastics coach who trained Nadia Comaneci & Mary Lou Retton dies aged 82

Former gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, best known for guiding Nadia Comaneci to the sport's first 'perfect 10', has died aged 82.

USA Gymnastics said Karolyi died on Friday but did not give a cause of death.

Karolyi, who was born in Cluj-Napoca in Romania, coached 14-year-old Comaneci to gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

Her uneven bars routine was awarded a perfect 10.0 - the first time in Olympic gymnastics history the score had been given.

"A big impact and influence in my life. RIP Bela Karolyi," wrote Comaneci on her Instagram page.

"Almost 50 years ago he guided me to the historic performance of the first perfect 10 in the Olympics... and that changed my life forever."

After helping Comaneci to another gold at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, Karolyi defected to the United States.

He began working with American gymnast Mary Lou Retton in 1981. Three years later, at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, the 16-year-old became the first American to secure the Olympic all-around title.

Karolyi, alongside his wife Marta, helped to shape United States gymnastics over the subsequent decades.

Karolyi retired from coaching following the Atlanta Games in 1996 but was hired as the US' national team co-ordinator in 1999, spending just over a year in the role.

The Karolyis also ran a training centre in Texas, known as the "Karolyi ranch".

It became the US women's national team training centre in 2001 when Marta was named the women's national team co-ordinator.

However, USA Gymnastics halted use of the venue in 2018 following the abuse scandal involving former team doctor Larry Nassar.

Nassar was sentenced to between 40 to 175 years in prison after pleading guilty to 10 counts of sexual assault against girls and young women , as well as the possession of child pornography.

During the scandal, over a dozen former gymnasts came forward , external saying the Karolyis were part of a system that created an oppressive culture that allowed Nassar's behaviour to run unchecked.

Some of the victims also alleged they were abused by Nassar at the training centre in Texas.

However, Karolyi and his wife told CNN in 2018 , external that they were unaware of Nassar's crimes and denied any wrongdoing.