1989 DEFECTION LACKED ROMANCE, GYMNAST SAYS

Nadia Comaneci denies she ever had any romantic link with Constantin Panait, the Hallandale, Fla., roofer who helped her defect from Romania in 1989. She said the married Panait portrayed her as a homewrecker in order to make money off of her. "There was no romance. This was a guy who helped me defect, which I was desperate to do. Then he would charge for interviews with me," Comaneci told The Miami Herald. "I remember we had dinner with Connie Chung and she wanted me on her show, but Panait would not allow it without payment. The only people who would pay were the tabloids and they were not giving credible reports." The Olympic gold medal gymnist, fit, happy and 15 pounds slimmer than when she fled Romania, was in Florida to promote an aerobics competition.