×A while ago (to be exact, here and here), we reported on former Dutch star Verona van de Leur, who was airing her dirty laundry in public, accusing her parents of stealing her money and opposing her relationship with her much older and frankly rather dodgy-sounding boyfriend. For a while, Verona was everywhere, giving magazine interviews, appearing on talk shows, and airing her grievances on her website. Then she more or less disappeared, not even bothering to show up at the Dutch Gymnastics Federation's traditional end-of-year gala, where she was to be honored for her achievements. Her failure to show up at the gala sent tongues wagging, not just in the tabloids, but in the serious media. The following story is a translation of an alarming article published by Volkskrant, a Dutch quality paper.

"Call Me If You Need Me"

The Gym Gala, which traditionally closes off the year for the Dutch Gymnastics Federation, should have been her evening. Last Saturday evening [December 20] in Almere, the Federation was going to publicly say goodbye to former gymnastics diva Verona van de Leur, named Dutch Female Athlete of the Year in 2002. But it wasn't to be.

Last summer Van de Leur severed all ties with the gymnastics world and her family. In November she told a spectacular story about it in Revu magazine. To Van de Leur, gymnastics – that fermenting mix of youth, envy and ambition – had become an open sewer. In April, after the European Championships in France, she left the team following an almighty row.

Frans Koffrie, the pater familias of the Dutch gymnastics community, tried for months to contact the gymnast. The President of the Federation, who is about to retire, was hoping his personal appeal would entice Van de Leur to make one more appearance at the gala. After all, there was a sponsor (Univé) who wanted to give her a farewell present after six years' loyal service. Koffrie was counting on the friendly ties he had built up over the years with one of his most prominent gymnasts to persuade Van de Leur to come.

It wasn't enough. According to the gymnastics community, Van de Leur is at the mercy of her boyfriend, who is seventeen years her senior. Some even fear she has fallen into the hands of a pimp.


Van de Leur responded only once to the text messages the President of the Federation sent to invite her, her answer being a resolute no.

According to Koffrie, the Federation had reserved a seat for the former gymnast on row 6 at the Tuesday gala. Gymnast Yuri van Gelder, Dutch Male Athlete of the Year 2005, was sitting there as well. Van Gelder used to be quite close to Van de Leur, but has lost touch with her. "And I have no wish to discuss the matter," he said shortly before performing on the rings in Almere. The subject is too painful for him.

Suzanne Harmes, a gymnast equally celebrated as Van de Leur, says she used to be on friendly terms with Van de Leur. They shared the same clubs and coaches. "But she never responds to my text messages. She wants nothing to do with us, the gymnastics world."

It was obvious in Almere that the gymnastics world has lost Verona van de Leur and is ashamed of it. With ten-year-olds training thirty-three hours a week, gymnastics is a socially demanding sport. Many girls suffer a delayed transition into womanhood, including menstruation. Therefore, the rise of the Dutch women's gymnastics team has not been without its detractors.

Van de Leur, who won a silver medal at the 2002 World Championships, used to embody that rise. She had gone through the tricky transition into womanhood and risen to be captain of the Dutch team. The shy child had become a talkative young lady.

The new Verona van de Leur had almost become a friend, Federation Doctor Liesbeth Lim said last Saturday in Almere. They had gone through much together over the years, and discussed many things.

Lim, who provides retired gymnasts with follow-up care, stayed in close touch with Van de Leur for quite a while after the April European Championships. However, in September the gymnast told Lim she no longer required her services.

Said Lim: "Verona wanted a clean break from the world she had been living in. On the one hand, that's understandable. She clearly wants to be left alone for a while while she figures things out for herself. On the other hand it has turned into a worrying situation. Lately I've been hearing a lot about [boyfriends who turn their girlfriends into prostitutes, whose modus operandi is to isolate their girlfriends from their loved ones]. I've told her again and again, 'Call me if you need me.' She can call me any time. Any time."

On December 27, just after Christmas, Verona van de Leur will turn 23. Neither her friends from the gymnastics world nor her family will be there to celebrate her birthday with her.

×Van de Leur Pleads Guilty to Extortion

Retired Dutch star Verona van de Leur was in court Tuesday to face charges from a 2010 arrest, the Dutch media reported.

The world and European medalist pleaded guilty to charges of extortion, stemming from an incident in March 2010. Reportedly, van de Leur photographed two people in a park she believed were having an affair and demanded 3,000 euros (USD$4,300) in exchange for the photos.

The couple went to the police, who searched van de Leur's computer and discovered two videos and 144 photos of child pornography. A further search turned up an illegal weapon in a car.

While Van de Leur admitted to "misjudgment" on her part for the extortion attempt, she "disassociated" herself from the illegal material found on her computer. She and her lawyer, Freek van der Brugge, argued that multiple people had use of the computer.

Van der Brugge said a conviction on that charge would be devastating to the 25-year-old van de Leur.

"There's no intent. My client is totally atypical of someone interested in child pornography," van der Brugge. "Her future lies in the sport and in the coaching of athletes. For this you need a Certificate of Good Conduct."

Van de Leur already spent 72 days in jail after her arrest. The prosecutor is asking for a further 90 days in prison plus 80 hours of community service. The sentencing will be May 3.

Van de Leur was the leader of the break-out Dutch squad that shot to international prominence a decade ago. She won bronze medals with the the Dutch team and on uneven bars at the 2000 Junior European Championships in Paris. Fourteenth at the 1999 Worlds, the Netherlands rose to fifth at the 2001 Worlds in Ghent, where van de Leur finished ninth all-around. Teammate Renske Endel won the silver medal on uneven bars, the first world medal for a Dutch gymnast since 1903.

Van de Leur won three silvers (team, all-around, vault) and two bronzes (balance beam and floor exercise) at the 2002 Europeans in Patras, and followed it with the silver medal on floor exercise at the 2002 Worlds in Debrecen. She earned the title of "Dutch Sportswoman of the Year" for 2002.

Despite her success, she was relegated to team alternate at the 2003 Worlds. The Dutch finished 16th in 2003, failing to qualify a full team to the 2004 Olympics. Van de Leur left long-time coach Frank Louter and switched to Boris Orlov. The Netherlands finished 17th at the 2007 Worlds, again failing to qualify a full team to the next year's Olympics. She announced her retirement in June 2008.

In 2009, Van de Leur won a lawsuit against her father, who she accused of misappropriating the money she earned from gymnastics competitions and sponsorships. Her father accused van de Leur's boyfriend of attacking him with a bat, but the court ordered him to pay back 62,000 euros (USA$88,900) to his daughter.