Olympic Gold Gone: Laszlo Csongradi's Heartfelt Plea to Thief

Former Hungarian fencer Laszlo Csongradi has been devastated by the theft of his Olympic gold medal. He has offered to bequeath it to the thief in his will if it is returned. The burglary occurred while the 65-year-old was sleeping, leaving him unable to find peace since the incident.

Former Hungarian fencer Laszlo Csongradi, 65, is inconsolable after his Olympic gold medal was stolen during a burglary. The medal, a prized memento from the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul where Csongradi triumphed in the men's team sabre competition, was taken from his home on the night of Sept. 10.

Csongradi, who discovered the theft upon waking, said the intrusion has left him deeply troubled. 'For two weeks, I can't calm down and be happy, because everything reminds me of my stolen Olympic gold medal,' he told Hungary's Sportal website. His appeal to the thief is poignant: 'I would give everything to the culprit, but I want him to return the worthless object that means nothing to him. Drop it in the mailbox and if you want, I won't leave it to a museum in my will, I'll bequeath it to him.'

The medal had been stored in a cupboard, and though the burglar left behind numerous fingerprints, Csongradi remains without leads. He hopes his message reaches the culprit: 'I don't want to hurt him... you can negotiate with me.'

(With inputs from agencies.)