Greek Olympic Chief Wants Government Funding Commitment

(ATR) Spyros Capralos tells Around the Rings he hopes the new Greek government will reintroduce funding for elite athletes after nearly six barren years.

The far-left Syriza swept to power in Sunday's general election, an upheaval that triggered concerns about the government’s emphasis on the Greek sports movement.

Capralos called for the new government to introduce funding for elite sportsmen and women. Amid the country’s financial crisis, the Hellenic Olympic Committee and national federations stopped receiving for top-level sport in 2009, forcing the HOC to fundraise from private sources and sponsors.

"I would like the government to provide funding for elite-level sport," the Hellenic Olympic Committee president told ATR on Tuesday.

"Eight MPs come from sport, so I hope we will have a few allies and alliances within the government and parliament," he said.

With new prime minister Alexis Tsipras set to unveil his cabinet, Capralos said it was too early to say what kind of impact the anti-austerity coalition government would have on Greek sport.

"The first signal will be the importance given to sport, depending if it has its own ministry or is in another ministry. Up to now sport was under the ministry of culture and a deputy minister who was minister of sport," Capralos said.

"I am not so fearful about sport. I am fearful that some bureaucracies may stop the [national] federations doing some work. Because work in sport doesn’t stop, we need to send athletes to competitions and continue funding [them]."

The Greek Olympic leader said he hoped a clearer picture of the government’s sports policies would emerge in the coming days.

"I would like the government to see sport as something important for the daily and social life of the Greeks," he said.

"And I think for the country that gave birth to the Olympic Games, I hope that still the importance of high-level and elite sport will be dealt with by the government."

Capralos said the Hellenic Olympic Committee was looking forward to the "cooperation of the new government" to help it prepare athletes for major international events and the Olympics "and hopefully continue success in the Olympic Games."

Reported by Mark Bisson

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