Viorel Păunescu dies at 91 / Former Steaua president had Alzheimer’s

Viorel Păunescu, former president of Steaua’s Board of Directors, died on Saturday, October 24, at the age of 91. He had been hospitalized at Colentina Hospital in recent days and had been dealing with serious health problems, including Alzheimer’s, for some time.

His death was confirmed by AS47, which announced that the former official of the red-and-blue club had passed away. In recent years, Păunescu had withdrawn from public life and appeared less and less frequently.

Viorel Păunescu led AFC Steaua from 1998 to 2003, during an important period for the Ghencea-based club. In 1998, he took over the team from the Ministry of National Defense, and five years later the club passed to Gigi Becali. Under his leadership, Steaua won a title with Victor Pițurcă as coach.

Born in Fărcășești, Păunescu played 11-a-side handball for Steaua and Dinamo in the 1950s and 1960s and was a member of Romania’s national team.

In 2023, he claimed that the second-division team CSA Steaua was the successor to the historic side. The statement prompted a reaction from Gigi Becali, who accused him of being involved in transforming the club into a joint-stock company and said he would present documents regarding the team’s takeover.