Presence of Mareva Mitsotaki the event of EAOM-Disabled entitled “With a Female Imprint”

The event of EAOM-Disabled, whose title was “With a female footprint” and concerned the female athlete with a disability, was held under the auspices of the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

The event was honored by the presence of Mareva Grabovski-Mitsotaki, the Deputy Minister of Sports, Lefteris Avgenakis, the Head of Sports & Member of Parliament for Etoloakarnania SYRIZA, Thanos Moraitis, the Head of Human Resources. PASOK-KINAL, Mara Koukoudaki, the member of the Sports Sector of KKE, Georgios Ioannidis, the Member of Parliament of MERA 25, Fotini Bakadima, the General Secretary of Sports, Georgios Mavrotas, the General Secretary of Solidarity and Kataporegis Georgios Patoulis, the Deputy Regional Governor of the Northern Sector of Athens, Loukia Kefalogianni, the Deputy Regional Governor of Thessaloniki, Voula Patoulidou, the President of the National Confederation of Persons with Disabilities, Ioannis Vardakastanis, of the Hellenic Paramp Andreas Katsaros, the President of the Association of Greek Paralympians, Grigoris Polychronidis, representatives of the disabled bodies and the local self-government, representatives of sports clubs and organizations etc.

“The Greek athlete with a disability on a daily basis gives a fight. Unequal many times, but fight. For survival, for the promotion of her personality, for acceptance, but also for equality. From the family environment, from home at the time it starts to the sports facility and back. On roads, sidewalks, gyms, swimming pools where we compete and we with her to be accessible.

We must respect and defend this struggle. To highlight him and to promote him. Because the woman-athlete with a disability knows deep down that the opportunities she will have for acceptance and recognition will be less.

And that is where we must stand. To aim as a society. No women on the sidelines. Stereotypical behaviors must disappear and women must come forward. To motivate, to inspire. And women athletes with disabilities have taken on this role, we are in the vanguard.

Because, you know what an obstacle means. Because you are strong and determined. But, above all, women fighters, with successes and disappointments and having exceeded your limits many times.

And there, dear ones, we meet all the women. In an ongoing struggle that has been going on for over a century for equal treatment and recognition of our parity by law. With protests, controversy, but also victories. From the first women, who laid the foundations and with determination and courage wrote history to this day, we know that we are fighting for the obvious.

For equal opportunities and to break prejudice, to overcome stereotypes. You, we continue the fight. You show us the way. Let us follow him “, said, among others, in her greeting the president of EAOM-AmeA, Ioanna Karyofyllis.

The Deputy Minister of Sports, after his short greeting, honored the first two athletes who participated in the Paralympic Games in 2000, namely Eleni Samaritaki (track and field) and Maria Kalpakidou (swimming).

The Governor of Attica, George Patoulis, also addressed a short greeting, who then honored the female athlete, worker, husband and mother in the person of Voula Kantza. The honorary plaque was received by Christos Koromilas, chairman of the Athletes Committee of EAOM-AmeA.

The Ambassador of #BEACTIVE Kelly Loufaki referred to the European program and its benefits, as well as the General Secretary of Sports and chairman of the Coordinating Committee #BEACTIVEHELLAS, George Mavrotas.

ESAmeA’s initiatives to highlight the role of women with disabilities were mentioned by its president, Ioannis Vardakastanis, while the topic of “Value for prevention and valid diagnosis of breast cancer” was addressed in her speech by the Director of the Breast Center HYGEI KHERIA , which, in turn, received an honorary plaque from the president of EAOM-Disabled.

Also, the athlete Evangelia Nikou, in a recorded message, referred to her painful journey until the qualification for the Beijing Paralympic Games.

The mini forum, with thematic sections formed on the athletes who participated in them, stole the show and it was attended by Paralympians Katerina Patroni (botsia, RampOperator), Katerina El Latif (cycling), Alexandra Stamatopopoulou (Kolandra Ntambatopoulou) ( ), Christina Denta (botsia, Ramp Operator), Stella Smaragdi (track and field) and Dorothea Poimenidou (archery).

Also participating were the Paralympic swimmer, Efi Gouli (as a journalist), the volleyball player, Eugenia Stamati, Voula Patoulidou, as well as Georgios Stamatis.

Then, the five ambassadors of EAOM-Disabled for 2022-2023 were presented, who come from the field of science, music, acting and journalism. They are Katerina Vrana (standupcomedian and actress), Eleana Vrachali (lyricist, writer and poet), Christina Vrachali (sports writer, presenter, producer),. Vasiliki Garopoulou (Professor at the Medical School in the postgraduate program for neuroscience), but also Aria Agatsa (sports editor, First Vice President of ESIEA, former MP of Boeotia), who was also the presenter of the event.

All the staff of EAOM-AmeA handed over to Ioanna Karyofyllis a symbolic gift for the event in honor of the woman athlete with a disability, while the evening ended with the music of Zoe Tiganouria (composer, accordion soloist), where I participated and Nikos.