Ivan Patzaichin is a Rumanian sprint canoeist of Lipovan origin who competed from the late 1960s to the mid-80s and won seven Olympic medals. At the time sportsmen were not entitled to significant cash prizes. Ivan felt lucky to win a video player and save enough money to be able to buy a car during his trip to Germany. Competing around the world, Patzaichin felt strongly connected with the motherland and never thought of emigration. Yet Ivan, like all other Romanian sportsmen, was under constant government supervision. Before all international competition they were received by Party officials, several times even by Ceausescu himself.