Greece Olympic athletes who competed in the Paris Olympics arrived in Athens on Monday afternoon amidst a national forest fire tragedy near the capital.
Amongst the athletes was long jump gold medalist Miltos Tentoglou, pole vault bronze medalist Emmanouil Karalis, and freestyle wrestling bronze medalist Dauren Kurugliev.
Also returning were Rio de Janeiro gold medalist Katerina Stefanidi, along with Antigoni Drisbioti, Elina Tzengko, Stamatis Skarvelis, and Ariadne Adamopoulou. The national men’s and women’s water polo teams, as well as the artistic swimming duet along with the coaches, George Pomaski, Haris Karalis, Mitchell Krier, and George Botskriov, also returned to Greece from the Paris Olympics.
Some of the members of Team Greece had returned to Athens earlier.
Greek Olympic athletes “deserved a different reception”
Deputy Minister of Sports Yiannis Vroutsis, in a statement before the athletes’ arrival, emphasized that the Olympians and members of the National Delegation deserved a different reception.
“The critical situation with the fires naturally does not allow [for] it. We sincerely thank them for the joy and optimism they brought us with their achievements. We honor them all and stand by them, but our thoughts and concerns are now with the fire fronts and all those currently battling the inferno,” he said.
“The large fire in northeastern Attica has put the entire state apparatus and all of us on alert. The Ministry of Sports, together with the Region of Attica, has opened the doors of OAKA, welcoming our fellow citizens affected by the fires,” Vroutsis said.
Miltos Tentoglou also expressed his concern about the situation in Attica, extending his support to those facing this difficult ordeal.
Karalis also remarked:
“We are definitely very happy to have returned, the entire national team. We are safe, but as we were approaching and looking out the airplane windows, the view outside was darkening from the clouds and there was a certain…silence as we descended. We hope everything will be okay. We are all quite saddened by what is happening in the country. We hope these fires will finally be extinguished so we can resume our lives.”
“We cannot rejoice” as forest fires burn
Hellenic Athletics Association (SEGAS) President Sofia Sakorafa stated:
“We cannot rejoice when such events are happening around us, affecting our fellow citizens. Our hearts and souls are with them as properties are being destroyed at this moment.”
She added that these athletes, through their achievements, offer a note of comfort during these challenging times.
In a moment of celebration, athletes and friends lifted Dauren Kurugliev at Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” to welcome him. However, a scheduled press conference on Monday for the Olympic team’s return from Paris was canceled due to the devastating fires impacting large parts of Attica and other regions of Greece.
