2009 SU Update: President of Greece Visits Greek Athletes in Universiade Village

The Greek Chef de Mission Nikolaos Vasileiou with the President of Greece, Mr. Karolos Papoulias

The Greek President encourages the athletes

Today, July 2^nd, the Athletes’ Village of the 25^th Summer Universiade in Belgrade was visited by a Very VIP Guest. Indeed, the President of Greece, Mr. Karolos Papoulias, was welcomed at the entrance of the International zone of the Village by FISU President George Killian and his wife Mrs. Killian, President of the UB2009 Executive Committee Nebojsa Ilic and Mayor of the Athletes’ Village Ranko Tepavcevic.

The Greek President was taken on a small tour through the Village which ended by meeting the Greek delegation which presented him with a volleyball and basketball signed by the teams.

Nikolaos Vasileiou, the Chef de Mission of the Greek delegation was very pleased with the visit of his President. ‘It is a great honor and a wonderful opportunity for University Sport in Greece. It’s the first time the President visits us at a Universiade. In name of the Greek delegation, I thank President Killian and the Belgrade Organising Committee for the hospitality.

Table Tennis player Spyridon Kioufis was quite impressed meeting the President of his Country. ‘He wished me good luck with the competitions’, the athlete told FISU Media. ‘I’m very proud, I shook his hand.’

‘It shows that FISU commands respect and it’s an extreme honor to have any President come to the Athletes’ Village of the Universiade to greet the athletes of his country’, FISU President commented. ‘It reflects how important student-sport is for Greece, but also for us.’

‘It is a great honor not only for the Universiade but also for the country of Serbia’, Village Mayor Ranko Tepavcevic said when the Greek President had left the Village. ‘We are very proud that a country’s President arrived in the Village to visit his delegation. It is a great moment for the athletes in supporting them and inspiring and motivating them at the beginning of the competitions. As you know Serbia and Greece are very close so we are very proud that President Papoulias came to visit us’, the Village Mayor added.

FISU President Killian and his wife welcome the Greek President inthe Athletes’ Village

The Greek delegation awaits the President of Greece

The President received an autographed volleyball and baskteball from the respective teams