The Greek Federation of Wheelchair Basketball Clubs (OSEKA), in cooperation with the City of Athens Organization for Culture, Sports and Youth (OPANDA), hosted the 5th Hope Streetball at Syntagma Square on Saturday, October 26.
Wheelchair basketball took center stage in the heart of Athens, with the participating athletes captivating hundreds of spectators throughout the event.
Fifteen athletes from clubs in Attica and other regions of Greece were divided into five teams and competed in a 3-on-3 mini tournament. The athletes delivered an impressive spectacle that captivated spectators both at the venue and online through OSEKA’s social media channels. Most of the games were closely contested, with some requiring overtime to determine the winner. The excitement remained high right through to the final.
The Minister of Sports, Giannis Vroutsis, attended the event and addressed the athletes and OSEKA representatives, highlighting the importance of initiatives of this kind. He also emphasized that accessibility and sport for people with disabilities are among his key priorities, as well as priorities for the government.
The Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, also attended the event and watched a significant part of the proceedings. In his remarks, he emphasized his continued support for OSEKA and confirmed that the cooperation between the City of Athens and the Federation would continue.
Mr. Vroutsis and Mr. Doukas also had the opportunity to experience wheelchair basketball themselves. The Minister and the Mayor took part in the activity in sports wheelchairs, each playing on a different team. Both experienced firsthand the challenges of the sport and once again congratulated the athletes for their dedication and achievements.
In addition to the sporting activities, the event also featured a dance performance. Veronica Sgardeli, together with her choreographer Anna Valari, once again impressed the audience with their performances and received enthusiastic applause. Alexandros Pitsalidis of Hood Groove was equally impressive, leaving the audience amazed with his basketball skills and tricks.
In addition to the Minister of Sports and the Mayor of Athens, the event was honored by the presence of Konstantinos Zombos, Deputy Regional Governor of the Central Sector of Athens, Region of Attica; Dimitris Karnavos, Secretary General for Citizenship; Dionysis Karakasis, National Coordinator for #BeActive and Vice President of the World Organization for Sport for All (TAFISA); Dr. Antonios Avgerinos, President of the Hellenic Red Cross; George Skoumas, Secretary General of the Hellenic Red Cross; Eleni Zontirou, President of OPANDA of the City of Athens; Elena Mantzavinou, Municipal Councillor of the City of Athens, responsible for accessibility; and Vicky Chita, Head of the International Cooperation and Public Relations Department of the City of Athens.
The event concluded with a renewed commitment to continue promoting inclusion, accessibility, and sport for all, with everyone looking forward to the 6th Hope Streetball.
