Papanikolaou: “Mental health has nothing to do with money or prestige”

Shocked by the news of Yannis Tima’s suicide, he said Kostas Papanikolaouwho was his teammate in the 2018/19 season at Olympic. The leader of Piraeus spoke about the importance of the mental health of athletes, who are not necessarily happy because they may have glory and money.

“These things are very sad, they go beyond basketball. Yanis was an excellent child, very quiet, approachable, smiling. But unfortunately we cannot know what everyone goes through in their life and many times behind closed doors we cannot know what burden each person is carrying. Whether he is a successful basketball player or doing any other job. Mental health is very important and it has nothing to do with money, prestige, who you are as a person or what you have achieved in life. Let’s all be careful, as we said with the team doctor, when you have a problem to share and channel it. To share your difficulties with your own people. Condolences to his family“, emphasized “Pap”.

As for tomorrow’s match between Olympiakos and Virtus Bologna at SEF (21:15), he said:Virtus comes from a win in Baskonia the way it came… they have changed coach, this win helps them to build psychology. It is a team that has on its roster experienced players and kids who have competed at the highest level and won titles. An important game for us, after the last results, that we want to restart and this game is an opportunity».