Bandis: “They clicked on a fake news about Ioannidis and took out their repressed”

The president of PSAPP spoke about football outside the four lines in the podcast “Conversation in PI & FI”, Giorgos Bandis.

The veteran goalkeeper was cited, among other things, in the doping case and the false targeting of Fotis Ioannidisarguing that some people took the opportunity to take their frustrations out on a football player.

In detail, what Giorgos Bandis mentioned:

For the footballer’s voice: “Yes, I think this is a very big gain. We, since we joined the association in 2019, until today, are constantly trying to educate the football player. Through this education, we try to convey to him the responsibility he has towards society. This has to do mainly with his life attitude, his voice and everything he does on and off the pitch. It is very important for us, that he knows this. Because, whether he likes it or not, he is a role model for a very large part of society and especially for children. Indeed, I too can see these results, which are positive and encouraging. The fact that the footballer is finally talking and it’s not the old stereotype that you’re there to kick a ball is something that makes me really happy».

Regarding the doping case of Ioannidis and Bakaseta’s statements: “Recently, I saw again the statements of Tasos Bakaseta, about what happened, in the Ioannidis case, with the false news about doping and then the comments on social media, with obscene words. Once again, I admired the captain of the National team, who came out and with four – five sentences, said what he really wanted to say. Furthermore, he also sent the message that must be passed, so that the common people and our young children, who are exemplified by these footballers, can hear his point of view».

On how he felt when this news came out with Ioannidis’ doping: “Unfortunately, there is a bad mentality in this country. Where, she has to do with the face. Because, the greater, successful and great a person is, the greater is the structure of some, to demystify him, tear him down, drag him and slander him at the first opportunity. This is done, because many times this person reminds them how insignificant and unsuccessful they themselves are. As soon as this happened, some immediately found the opportunity to take out all their repressed feelings on a child and not only on him, but also on all the children competing in the National Team. It’s very sad, because as I said before, I don’t want to get used to it, that everyone will have no consequences».

On what would change if he was Minister of Sports even for a day: “It’s a very difficult question, because you can’t change many things in one day. Recently, in a meeting with Mr. Vroutsis, we also closed the issue of the old football players of Aris and PAS Ioannina, something that is very important and the particular minister deserves congratulations, because he really bent over the problem and helped us significantly. If I were, for one day, Minister of Sports, I would do what Mr. Vroutsis did, with the 45 former Aris and PAS football players, with N3606 of 2007. I would create, within the PSAPP, an aid fund, to be able to to help, so that the approximately 1000 footballers, with pending court decisions in their hands and have not yet managed to get paid, I would try to create a fund so that all those thousands of footballers, who remain unpaid by their clubs, can also be paid. Which unfortunately, continue and still play in the professional leagues with another legal form».