Schortsanitis: “I received racism for my color and weight – I will forever thank the Angelopoulos”

Sofocles Shortsianitis spoke about his life on the floor and the difficulties he went through on the ERT Studio 4 show.

The veteran basketball player referred to the racism he received both for his color and weight, the efforts he made to lose weight, the support of his teammates, but also the opportunity given to him by the Angelopoulos brothers.

“I have a weird love-hate relationship with basketball. When you hear the bells and you haven’t played well, there’s a rage. The bad thing is that you don’t know where this is coming from. When you’re young you point the finger at everyone else. I had no problem with my teammates. Some talk on the pitch is offensive, it has no place.

I received racism for color as well. The first time I stepped on the field I was subjected to racism. Not as much as others, but I accepted. My teammates protected me from all of this. They spoke English to me when they saw me, even now it happens. People’s behavior changes according to talent. When I was 17 years old I realized that I cannot know who is approaching me and for what reason“, he said.

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“We see it in other cases where players are being discriminated against because of their weight. The better I was on the field, the less I cared. I made mistakes, it was a time when I was trying really hard to lose weight. I might not have eaten all day.

They tried to help me, recommend me to a nutritionist. I didn’t like that, I had a strange attitude towards authority at that time. I didn’t have a sports psychologist. One time I thought about quitting basketball was the year I was sent to Switzerland.

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It was a suggestion that helped me a lot. I didn’t have the same will to continue, I was 21. I had the chance to meet a couple of psychologists who helped me. The Angelopoulos brothers helped me a lot and I am forever grateful to them for the opportunity they gave me“, he said among other things.

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