Galery

1

The basketball championship of the country begins just after a few days but the problem with aggression on playgrounds has not been solved yet. After a really hard season that has left bitter memories in judges, coaches, players and basketball fans and raised a bunch of questions regarding the quality of basketball in Greece, the new season does not seem to be easier.

The A1 coaches said at a meeting dedicated to the start of the tournament in the country that they welcome the season with new goals and hopes, but ...they are concerned whether the nightmares of the last year's championship finals will not happen again. The coaches of Panathinaikos and Olympiakos, Željko Obradović and Dušan Ivković even promised their players to become models to follow. Will it be enough, however, to stop the aggression on the playgrounds? It could hardly be the case.
 
Obradović’s comments leave no doubt that the greens are motivated to show a good image and model of behaviour. "We will try to play at the level at which we have been playing so many years. It is getting harder each year because all who play against us are more motivated. This year will be difficult. We all remember how the last season ended. I spoke with the judges what would happen if the same things come about and I did not see any change. I can not stand up to risk my life any longer. We can not all be afraid of our lives. The issue is very serious. Anything can happen, but it will be too late. Coaches and players are at risk. The last game was played 5 months ago and not a step forward was made. Some things are not the responsibility of judges. If you want to be a major league conditions and roles must be changed..." - www.sport.gr cited the statement of the coach.

The new coach of Olympiakos, Dušan Ivković, agrees with Obradović. "I agree with my friend and best man that the conditions were better before. I can not say anything more as for the first interview... I promise that the players of Olympiakos will be an example to all concerning the things that I am responsible for. I can not say anything for the rest…”- Ivković explicitly stated.

The coach of PAOK, Soulis Markopoulos, is also worried about the safety at the playgrounds. Quite pessimistic is the coach of AEK, Minas Gekos: "Nothing has been done over the past 10 years. Some problems should have been resolved years ago. The players are ready to protest and we do not know which teams will participate in the championship ultimately. I'm not at all optimistic."

Theodoris Papaloukas is hesitant about the notion of the popular sport in Greece too. The captain of the white-reds stated that this might be the last season for him. The reason for this is the state of the basketball and the technocratic issues. "Distortion of basketball is obvious. The crisis does not affect other sports. Proper organization and ideas are lacking. All expect to solve the problem instantly. Coach Obradović is right. We must take stringent measures to fix the situation... The tournament can not even begin. Solutions must be found immediately” - he appealed. The captain of Aris, Nikos Hadzivrettas, is convinced that special measures should be taken off the playground. "It is not clear to me how the championship reached to the bottom despite the great players and coaches. It lost its credibility. We, from AEK, want a new start after the difficult season of the last year..." said the captain of AEK.

The start of the season is really questionable. It appears as of now that there is no light in the tunnel and it is unlikely to be one as the safety of the championship will again depend entirely on the "mercy" of fans obsessed to the extreme. Vassilis Economidis, President of the Hellenic Basketball Clubs Association appealed to journalists to show the positive side of the championship and support the sport we all love. He reminded that "basketball is the pride of Greek sports, it has gone well many times in the past and all should be united now when conditions are not the best." These, however, are only words as there are no specific measures for the good will and for the safety of coaches, players and fans...