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It was with great surprise that the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Spyros Capralos, received the following letter from the sailing athlete Vasilia Karahaliou. It is clear that the ethos and style of the letter are not in line with an athlete of this level and do not reflect the Olympic ideals that every athlete who has taken part in the Olympic Games should profess.
What is striking not only is the unfamiliar tone of the letter, but also the unsubstantiated and non-existent complaints about an alleged issue with its coach, as the NAIS President never came into contact with him during the Tokyo Olympics.
On the issue of the change of nationality, the decision belongs to the HOC Plenum, upon the recommendation of the Hellenic Sailing Federation.
The President Spyros Capralos will bring the issue for discussion in the next plenary, where the athlete herself will be invited to give her views on the problems she faces and on her intention to change her athletic citizenship.
Moreover, the athlete's reference in her letter that she will use other ways besides legal ones, if her request is not granted, also raises questions. We really fail to understand what he means, as he uses innuendoes that are beyond the Olympic values.
In any case, we condemn this letter from an athlete who has always had the support of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, both moral and material.
LETTER FROM VASILIAS KARAHALIOU:
"Mr. Capralos,
in view of my departure from Greece, and since I am in the process of issuing a passport with the portuguese country, since the events that have occurred so that my departure is irreversible, I request that you provide me with a document confirming to the Portuguese Olympic Committee that you will give me the releasing papers immediately, in order to FACILITATE MY IMMEDIATE (basically financial) ADJUSTMENT in competing with the colors of Portugal. I am already in the process of issuing a passport and naturalization.
After the extensive damage I have suffered.. AND by your own actions, and as long as you are the person responsible, as President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee (since I have participated in the Tokyo Olympics) I consider that you have a moral obligation to "free" me from these repugnant practices. Otherwise I will fight legally and not only (and you know that the burdened prehistory of my federation, as well as additional recent data I have for the way it "works", as well as your blackmailing behavior towards my coach, during the Olympic Games, do not contribute at all to your vindication) and be SURE that I will HEAR throughout the sports world much farther from the Greek area! This, of course, would have multiple negative consequences for the Hellenic Olympic Committee, apart from the consequences that it would have on you personally, that is, to show internationally that you are "covering up" and assisting in practices that are diametrically opposed to the principles of Olympism and the Olympic Ideals.
Pending your immediate response
Basel Karahaliou
P.S. I would like to inform you, as everything I do is obvious for obvious reasons, that after three days this letter will be sent to the media."
Πηγή – ΕΟΕ
