Interview on tvxs.gr with Fotini Lambridi
The door that was opened by the Sofia Bekatorou, empowers more and more women—and, more broadly, people who are aware of such incidents rape and sexual harassment in their own space, to speak. The journalist, a former athlete and former member of the World Wrestling Federation’s special committee on media and marketing, Paris Kourtzidis, speaks to tvxs.gr, regarding rapes, harassment, and other scandals at the Wrestling Federation, about which the ministry has been informed for some time now.
«Our reporting has been telling us for months that the one who won't let the GGA to proceed with the dismissal of the Wrestling Federation’s Board of Directors and, in effect, cover up the illegal administration—that is the Deputy Minister of Sports Lefteris Avgenakis, who boasts of being the great reformer. So let Mr. Mitsotakis Now, unfortunately, according to the complaints coming one after another from parents, athletes, coaches, clubs, officials, journalists, and the media—including allegations of violent or even degrading sexual acts—all of this has been known to the administration for years. The federation itself is reportedly managed indirectly but clearly by the same circle. »So who is standing in Mr. Avgenakis’s way, if not the prime minister himself?” he asks. He adds that the previous leadership of the Ministry was also aware of this information.
What is your relationship with sports and the wrestling federation?;
I’ve loved sports since I was a small child; however, it was wrestling, at the age of 14, that ultimately won me over more than any of my other favorite sports. As a result, I was a member of the national junior, youth, and men’s teams. I initially retired because I refused to receive suspicious injections (I had been told they were B-complex vitamins). I had asked for a sample vial so my own doctor could examine it, but the head coach of the national team insisted that no one was allowed access to those injections. I was threatened that if I spoke out publicly, I would be barred from wrestling.
That’s more or less how I realized they were injectable anabolic steroids. Later, when I was persuaded to return to the mats—without compromising, of course—my big dream and goal was to join the team of Olympic Games in 1996, which were supposed to be held to celebrate the 100th anniversary in Greece. I always kept in mind the moment when he competed in the Bambis Holidis inside the SEF, which was packed and cheering him on. When it was announced that we’d lost them—that is, that they’d been poached by a popular American multinational soft drink company—I decided to quit for good.
In 2013, however, when the Olympic champion and then-president of the ELOP, Kostas Thanos, ...asked me to take the lead in the fight to keep the sport on the Olympic program. And that’s exactly what happened. I served as the head of communications and strategy for the Greek federation, as well as for the campaign that was also adopted by the World Wrestling Federation. Shortly thereafter, in the fall of 2013, due to my pivotal contribution, I was selected as the first (and, to date, the only) Greek journalist to serve on the World Wrestling Federation’s five-member special committee on media and marketing.
You have long been denouncing cases of abuse, particularly of minors, in Greco-Roman wrestling. What exactly is going on?;
I’m not criticizing it. As a journalist, I have a duty to report on these matters and, when necessary, to inform the relevant authorities—even on my own initiative. Those making the allegations are parents, coaches, and officials. They allege that, motivated by money, recognition, and fame, some people are exploiting even minors—both boys and girls. They even accuse adult athletes of commercial sex, with their “sinful” sponsors being introduced to them by a specific power network. They refer to powerful figures in sports. Those who know more, however, are afraid to speak out, because this network has been flexing its muscles for so many years now. It wins court cases, expels clubs, athletes, and coaches, «suppresses complaints,» pulls the strings at the General Secretariat of Sports, and makes decisions and issues orders. Due to the memoranda, as well as the federation’s debts from past misdeeds, some administrators are exploiting this need… especially that of their victims.
Are you aware of any specific incidents in Pali, and if so, which ones?;
On piperata.gr, I’ve written extensively about the rape of a 12-year-old athlete, where her parents began to discover what was happening to their daughter, due to a sexually transmitted disease that prevented her from continuing and required her to be hospitalized! But also because of warnings from other mothers who had noticed strange behavior. Later, as people began to speak out, it became increasingly clear that this coach—the rapist of the underage athlete—was more or less known for his suspicious behavior.
However, this is not the only incident. It is simply the one that has come to light. And some bigwigs at ELOP tried to hush it up and even cover it up, justifying the rapist-coach and shamelessly accusing even the underage athlete, telling me—as well as the tragic father himself—that «his girl wanted it!‘
Were they ever reported by the children, their parents, or anyone else who knew about it?;
Yes, there have been countless complaints. However, the more I know about this very sensitive issue, the more I would prefer to discuss it directly with the prosecutor. I hope that the justice system will step in at some point so that all of us who have knowledge of the matter can be called to testify.
Everything we know or have heard from reputable sources and coaches. Rest assured that I will name everyone who needs to be called as a witness in order to get to the bottom of this sordid affair. You should know, however, that among those I am certain had, from time to time, informed the relevant officials at the Wrestling Federation about many issues, from 2013 until recently, was both the referee, Konstantinos Kanellakis, as well as the Olympic champion Voula Zygoouri.
But also the physical education teacher and «mentor» of the once-great Olympic gold medal-winning team, George Pachtas. Just like countless other coaches, whose names we don’t need to mention today. They’ve already suffered so much at the hands of the administrators, simply because they refused to remain silent.
What have they been through?;
Suffice it to say that because of me—since, in the course of my professional duties, I exposed various shenanigans by the wrestling administration—the «Filathlitikos» and its president, an Olympic champion, Voula Zygoouri, of which I am vice president, and they deleted it!
Have you uncovered any other illegal activities within this federation? Is there a cover-up of these actions, and if so, by whom?;
Yes, a powerful figure in the sports world who has political, financial, and media «backing» appears to be able to—and does—enforce a cover-up.
Sometimes others get involved as well. Indeed, all sorts of things are said to be happening in this particular federation, as they probably are in others as well. In any case, it is one of those federations where, unfortunately, some people have run amok in terms of both mismanagement and misadministration.
On June 26, 2020, following an administrative court ruling, the General Secretariat of Sports issued a declaratory act removing the leadership of the wrestling federation from office due to breach of duty. And yet, the ousted administration, having been informed by a revealing article I published, hastily convened an emergency meeting before it had been formally notified of its removal, during which it called for a general assembly to discuss early elections.
The decision to assume provisional leadership and hold hastily arranged elections in the Wrestling Federation, not only fails to comply with the law, but has also revealed other serious illegal acts, as indicated by the formal complaint filed by a legitimate club representative against the former president Kostas Thanos in which he accuses him of He and a group of his close associates are in illegal possession of ledgers and seals belonging to associations that do not exist.
All of this—financial scandals, rapes, and harassment—is known to the ministry, and it hasn't done anything about it?;
Ο George Mavrotas, as Secretary General for Sports, even though it should have issued a new declaratory act re-removing the allegedly legally elected administration, it has not taken any action for months. Our report states For months now, it has been clear that the person who is preventing the General Secretariat for Sports from proceeding with the dismissal of the Wrestling Federation’s Board of Directors—and is, in effect, covering up its illegal administration— is the Deputy Minister of Sports, Lefteris Avgenakis, who boasts of being the great reformer. So let Mr. Mitsotakis now learn that, unfortunately, according to the complaints pouring in one after another from parents, athletes, coaches, sports clubs, officials, journalists, and the media—even regarding violent or degrading sexual acts—, All of this is known to those who have been in charge for years. The federation is reportedly managed indirectly but clearly by the same circle. So who is standing in Mr. Avgenakis’s way, if not the prime minister himself?;
Who is allowing—and why—the illegally elected administration, ten of whose members were in fact removed from office in June 2020, to attempt, in effect, to sweep under the rug even the nationwide pedophilia case involving a technical advisor and coaching official of the federation?;
You posted on social media, saying that you have submitted relevant information to the ministry, both now and in the past. When did you do this, what did you submit, and to whom?;
Most of what I’ve already told you above, I’ve personally emailed to GGA George Mavrotas and others. The man seems to be in a difficult position. While he wants to… his deputy minister won’t let him! It’s well known in journalistic circles that despite all the sound initiatives Mr. Mavrotas took for wrestling, as well as for karate and other sports, all hell broke loose at the ministry. He got an earful from Mr. Avgenakis because he disobeyed his orders to stay calm…
In such cases, however, inaction indicates a clear intent to cover up the matter. I am aware of meetings that Mr. Avgenakis himself had with complainants, to whom he promised he would take action, but he did absolutely nothing for months. Even Olympic champion Voula Zygoori visited him in person to hand him an entire file of complaints, and yet he turned her away! Apparently, he is only interested in complaints against the leadership of federations he himself opposes. In those cases, he takes the necessary action. In other cases, such as wrestling, he either doesn’t dare to act or sides with those being accused.
However, I must say that I myself had visited the former Deputy Minister of Sports in the spring of 2019. Following a particularly suggestive yet quite revealing article I had published on PIPERATA.GR, I was asked to personally provide him with a full briefing, in the presence of his advisor, Mr. Stelios Sykas. Mr. Vasileiadis, had pledged to take the necessary steps; however, indirectly but clearly, he placed the blame squarely on the Secretary General of Sports who was in office at the time, Ioulio Synodino. In fact, the rumor circulating in the ministry at the time was that the previous Secretary General of Sports was accepting requests on behalf of the Wrestling Federation from Mr. Isidoro Kouvelo, even though he himself had an excellent relationship with the Kostas Thanos. It is now up to the relevant authorities and the public prosecutor’s office to determine what is true and what is not.
To be fair, several months ago he was fully briefed by me and two officials from the Wrestling Federation, the relevant department head of SYRIZA, Thanos Moraitis, but he didn't do anything either. However, I want you to know that there are quite a few members of parliament, ministers, and former ministers—across all parties—who want to help. But they haven’t yet done everything necessary to get the authorities to take action. So, what am I supposed to do? As a journalist, should I keep going back every so often with a different story and filing a report with the Supreme Court prosecutor?;
