Kapralos: “Everyone was rational with the choice of flag bearers – We have taken many steps for gender equality as well”

Interview on his “Instant Replay” show EOK WebRadio granted by Spyros Kapralos.

The president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee referred to her qualification National to the Olympic Gamesin the matter of flag bearers, but also in the “Pavlos Giannakopoulos” tournament in Panathenaic Stadium.

In detail, what Spyros Kapralos mentioned:

For the qualification of the Men’s National Team to the Olympic Games: “Like most Greeks, we love basketball, we watch it and we are happy for great successes. There is no greater achievement than having the basketball team in the Olympics. We were there, we lived it, we celebrated it and our joy is even greater to have this team, which really was a TEAM and showed it, at the Olympics. Of course, it also helped us do something important. To surpass the 100 entries of athletes in this Olympiad in Paris».

On the fact that the National Team qualified with Vassilis Spanoulis at the “helm”, who was a player in the last appearance of the National Team in the Olympic Games: “He is the connecting link of this team. I was moved when I heard him in the locker room after qualifying, how he spoke to the players, how all the children reacted, I really felt the greatness of sports, that they were all hugging, loving, singing “Hellas ole ole” and understanding how important their participation is at the Olympic games”.

Regarding the fact that the group matches take place in Lille and the knockouts in Paris: “We will see it in Lille with the same undiminished interest and the same undiminished anxiety, who will try their best in the three group matches and, of course , we will be very happy to see them in the next phase in Paris, because everything will be decided there”.

On the vote of the flag bearers at the Olympic Games: “We are particularly happy for the decision taken by the EOE to have two flag bearers, two people who are very important for Greek sports, for their values ​​and everything they stand for. I do not hide that after so many years in sports and the EOE I was unpleasantly surprised during the process, because a process was carried out contrary to what we stand for. We have achieved significant extroversion in the principles of Olympism and yesterday there was an attempt to retreat and take steps back, away from society and law. There was a persistent suggestion that we return to a male standard bearer. This, in fact, was done by people related to the International Olympic Movement. Finally, after two votes it prevailed to have two flag bearers, as we had in the previous ones, which I think is the most correct. Fortunately in the end everyone came to their senses and we moved on to this solution. Imagine that Greece, entering the stadium first in the Olympic Games, entered with only one flag bearer, when most Olympic Committees will present two. What message would we send? The International Olympic Committee goes all the way with 50-50 and gender equality. All the Olympic Committees have a committee for gender equality, they fund us to carry out such actions. We have made many strides for both equality and inclusion. I am happy that we will finally have our two flag bearers at the Olympic Games in Paris.”

For the athletes who did not want to be flag bearers: “We spoke to Milto Tedoglou and of course we respect his decision. He told us that he would not like to be the flag bearer, because he would like to focus on his quest for the gold medal. Respected, because first of all it is the effort that an athlete makes to reach the highest point. And Katerina Stefanidis, who we covered before, told us that she has issues with physical therapy, she doesn’t know if she will even be in Paris and she needs to continue the treatments on her leg to be in good shape for the Olympics. All this is respected. And others had the honor of holding the flag in other races. Perhaps it was a mistake to make many of these discussions public, but it would have been much worse to have announced two flag bearers yesterday and today they told us they couldn’t be there.”

On whether there is a chance to see athletes become flag bearers for the 2nd time: “Certainly each Olympic Committee can set its own selection criteria. Other Olympic Committees have the athletes who have qualified for the Olympics vote on who the flag bearers should be. We haven’t reached that point yet, maybe because we don’t have such big missions so far. Maybe we’ll see that in the future. But these are done one step at a time. Now we have two flag bearers, we have a very big and strong mission, we claim distinctions in many sports and this gives strength to all the athletes and those who are by their side and strengthen them”.

On the EOE’s efforts to provide the best possible conditions for the athletes who will be at the Olympic Games: “There are always issues, even at the last moment in such a big mission. And the leader of the mission, Petros Synadinos, and the deputy leader, Iakovos Philippoussis and the entire headquarters, have done a coordinated job. For two years now, they have been working to give our athletes the best living conditions. One of them concerns the air conditioning in the Olympic Village. There, he will not have mercy for reasons of respect for the environment, for energy, for the reduction of carbon dioxide. We, however, have decided and will have portable air conditioning units, so that our athletes have the best even in this. We also make sure that the athletes have their coaches with them, which is impossible with the existing accreditation system, as well as pay extra to have rooms outside the Olympic Village, so that they can be close to the athletes and the athletes can feel them. near them. A very coordinated effort has been made, the finances of the EOE also helped in this, so that we can have the best possible conditions for our athletes”.

About the “Pavlos Giannakopoulos” tournament at the Panathinaikos Stadium: “I had the pleasure of “tasting” the magic of basketball games taking place in Kallimarmaro. As a student at the time, I experienced up close the successes of AEK, but also the national championship, where there were three matches, one behind the other, cup finals and other matches. It was a place where people went and watched basketball. Yesterday, with an absolute majority, we accepted the request of KAE Panathinaikos for Panathinaikos to play the “Pavlos Giannakopoulos” tournament, after all the relevant permits have been obtained, for KAE to sign the contract with us observing all that is required for Kallimarmaro, i.e. to be sure that it will not suffer wear and tear, that the costs will be covered, that the influence of the visitors who go to the Stadium every day and is probably the biggest source of revenue for the EOE and on the other hand the EEC will not stop fund of certain revenues, as is the case with other events”.

About the events that will take place at the Panathenaic Stadium: “On September 19, we will have the great celebration for the 20th anniversary of the Athens Olympic Games, the great success of Euro 2004, which we remember again now and of course we will welcome the upcoming Olympians of Paris, of which we hope to have enough to honor them properly. The event of the matches of the “Pavlos Giannakopoulos” tournament will take place 2 days after this great event”.

On the fact that the Panathenaic Stadium has become accessible to the world: “We want the Stadium to be open for sports meetings, for concerts, for gathering places for good things. Of course, always respecting the Olympic spirit and our values. Of course, we have children who come there every day, in programs called “I love sports”, without paying and they can be guided around the Stadium, they feel proud and enter the playing field, where with various games they can and feel a sports day ».