The Greek National Athletes Federation (SEGAS) failed to find tickets for the 15-member Greek team and their coaches to fly to the 2nd European Games 2019 in Minks, Belarus. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras intervened and made the prime minister’s state aircraft available so that the athletes do indeed participate in the games, later this month.
Earlier on Thursday SEGAS said they had to pull out of the 2nd European Games 2019.
“With particular regret that for technical reasons (inability to find tickets) it has to withdraw our team from participation in the European Games in Minsk,” the federation said in a statement. It added that they had been making every effort since mid-April to secure transport to the Belarusian capital, but without success.
The prime minister made the decision following an initiative by Deputy Sports Minister Giorgos Vasiliadis and Alternate National Defense Minister Panos Rigas, ordering that the state aircraft be made available to carry the Greek athletes and their coaches to Belarus.
Following Tsipras’ intervention, SEGAS said that they were grateful for the 11th hour intervention from government.
“SEGAS express their warm thanks to the Prime Minister for solving this problem,” SEGAS said.
Greece’s Olympic Committee president Spyros Capralos had earlier said he was “deeply saddened” with SEGAS’ decision.
The second edition of the European Games will be held from June 21-30 with some 4,000 athletes from 50 European countries competing across 15 sports, eight of which will act as qualifiers to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
