Greek club Olympiakos Piraeus have accused FIFA of paying little attention to concerns about player welfare after two more of their team contracted COVID-19 while on international duty in Africa.
In a letter to world soccer’s governing body seen by Reuters, Olympiakos also said that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and its member associations were not able to efficiently protect their players’ health during the October and November international windows.
The club, who play Manchester City at home in the Champions League next week, said that football stakeholders had asked FIFA to ensure that safety protocols would be applied in the recent international breaks.
Olympiakos vs Marseille.
“Sadly, FIFA paid little attention to those concerns,” Olympiakos said in the letter.
The club are angry that their striker Youssef El Arabi, the top scorer in the early stages of the Greek league season, is still in quarantine in Cameroon after testing positive for the novel coronavirus having travelled with Morocco for an African Cup of Nations qualifier.
The club said their Egypt international Ahmed Kouka had also tested positive after returning from a qualifier in Togo, which was confirmed by the Egypt Football Association.
“Their recovery and their time of absence, as well as their return to Greece, is for the time being unknown without considering in what state they are going to return and if they will face further health consequences of any kind due to their illness,” the club said.
The letter accused certain African countries of not protecting their players’ health while they were on national team duty.
“We are obliged to express our deepest disappointment for a policy that leaves clubs totally unprotected when they invest millions in trying to keep alive especially at a time when revenues are collapsing,” added the letter to FIFA signed by the club’s general manager Lina Souloukou.
Modern Greek has suffered a lot in the past few years.
We have all but lost it at the University of NSW and there are great issues holding onto it at Macquarie University in NSW as well. Sydney University is also suffering loss of students and the numbers are not what they used to be in the 80’s and the 90’s.
One big issue is money. The departments are running out of money to run their courses properly. Wealthy people of Greek background squander millions on projects that benefit them in some way but sometimes we must look at a benefit that is greater than ourselves or our own pockets, as the great Sir Nicholas Laurantus, the sponsor of the Chair of Modern Greek at the University of Sydney did.
But the greatest issue, I believe, is that we as a Greek community do not value our language enough to encourage our students to continue it to University level.
We don’t even value it enough to encourage our high school students to do it in the fear that they will be downgraded in the HSC.
Even at high school level only a handful of students continue to do the Extension Course in Modern Greek. I remember the days when we had so many students at St George Girls Saturday School doing HSC Extension that we could not fit them all into the classes. There were three classes running with over 30 students in each class just at that one school!
Many went on to study Modern Greek at University level and that is why we ended up with so many qualified teachers of Modern Greek who took up posts at various schools including the three private Church run high schools of the Archdiocese of NSW. But how many of their students study Greek for the HSC let alone do it at University level.
After all, the main aim of an Orthodox school is to create good Orthodox Christians rather than Greek speaking ones.
The Greek language should be compulsory in such schools, not just at the primary school level, but right through to the HSC. Only this way will the cohort be confident enough in Greek to attempt it as a subject at University level.
The other issue is one of relevance. Is Modern Greek relevant to the subjects they decide to study at university level?
As most people already know Greek is the basis for many European languages and its infinite ability to create compound words makes it the number one choice for academics the around the world. Many take up learning Classical Greek to help them in their Medical, Science based or Archaeology courses where Modern Greek would help them just as much.
Many students of ours at the University of Sydney agree that through studying Modern Greek their English grammar skills get better. Their understanding of world ideas and concepts became easier due to the exposure they have to some of the most amazing academic minds, such as Professor Vrasidas Karalis from the University of Sydney and Dr Sophia Nikoloudis of La Trobe University in Melbourne , to name just a couple.
We know about Greek influence on Western thought, language, philosophy, medicine etc. But what we do not know is how to value our demotic language.
We love our classical Greek background and our Greek heroes both ancient and Modern but that love does not extend to the language unfortunately.
Without the language what would Alexander the Great have spread? Without the language what would the poets do? What would our folksongs be?
For thousands of years Greeks in various parts of the globe from Alexandria to Asia Minor have kept the Greek language alive. Even our great poets such as Constantine Cavafy who only ever spent a couple of months in Greece, being himself a Greek from Egypt, composed in Modern Greek, in our beautiful language.
It is a great shame to leave it behind.
Wars and occupations could not extinguish it yet here we are in 2020 in the beautiful land that is Australia with all the opportunities in the world for keeping our language and we are responsible for its demise.
But our beautiful language does not only belong to us. It is the heritage of all the Western world. It must be marketed as such. We Greeks, only a few million left but our inheritance is also the heritage of all of Europe. We should encourage everyone to learn Greek.
We should translate as many texts from Greek scholars, poets, philosophers and inventors into English as possible. Why English you say? Because only when those who can not read Greek realise what they are missing will they gravitate again to this most beautiful language that belongs to all of us!
*Eleni Elefterias-Kostakidis is a teacher of Modern Greek and University lecturer.
Read Eleni Elefterias’ column ‘Insight or Perspective’ in Greek, every Saturday in The Greek Herald’s print edition or get your subscription here.
Perth Glory announced on Friday the appointment of Alexander Epakis as the club’s new Westfield W-League Head Coach.
Epakis has guided Sydney University to three consecutive NPL Premierships in the past three seasons and worked as a Senior Assistant Coach at Canberra United. He was also Head Coach of Sydney FC’s Academy between 2015 and 2017 and holds both an A-Licence and a Master’s Degree in Sports Coaching.
Epakis says is excited by the opportunity to work with a Glory squad which is set to be packed with talented young WA players this season.
“We want to build a culture and environment that we are all proud of,” he said.
“It needs to be based on core outcomes that give us the best opportunity to develop as a team and be competitive in each match.
“A commitment to weekly improvement and working towards a style of play and process are important pieces in what I would like us to achieve as a team.”
Photo:FTBL
Glory CEO Tony Pignata is confident that Epakis is the man to drive the club’s Westfield W-League side forward.
“Alex definitely has the range of experience, knowledge and passion required to be a successful W-League Head Coach,” he said.
“He is an outstanding coach and individual who will leave no stone unturned in his efforts to ensure that we have a strong, motivated and competitive W-League team this season.
South Australia will come out of hard lockdown on Saturday night — three days early — and outdoor exercise with family or housemates will be allowed “effective immediately”.
Premier Steven Marshall thanked South Australians for “their spirit” during this lockdown, which only allowed people to leave their homes once a day to obtain essential goods.
“One of the close contact linked to the Woodville Pizza Bar deliberately misled the contact tracing team,” he said.
“We know now that they lied.
“I will not let the disgraceful conduct of a single individual keep SA in these circuit breaker conditions one day longer than what is necessary.
“However, this lie still means that our contact tracers need breathing space to contact people, but not for as long.”
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said from midnight Saturday, groups of up to 50 people will be allowed at private functions and funerals, up to 10 people can go to a private residence and up to 100 people can attend a pub or restaurant with certain restrictions in place.
Rachel Evagelou’s aggressive, stage-three breast cancer diagnosis came as a “huge shock” because the 48-year-old believed she was still a couple of years shy of having to get a mammogram.
Speaking to ABC News, the mother of two said it was only “a fluke” that she made the appointment to be screened after she came across a friend’s Facebook post urging all women to book a breast cancer test.
“I didn’t go along to have my mammogram because I had felt anything or had any symptoms,” Ms Evagelou said.
“And one of the scariest things about my cancer is that it only started growing about eight to 12 weeks before I was diagnosed.”
Ms Evagelou’s fast-growing, seven centimetre lump had split into two malignant cancers. But the sinister growths had not yet managed to spread outside of her left breast — a small consolation that came with the terrible news.
Canberra mother Rachel Evagelou gave herself the social media title of Cancer Pin-up Doll because she refuses to let her diagnosis dim her shine.(Instagram)
“I had no idea that it was going to be this bad,” Ms Evagelou said.
“Cancer is a nasty thing.”
The Federal Government has long offered free screening mammograms for women from the age of 40. But its approach to advertising the tests has been criticised, as women are not alerted to the free screening program until they turn 50 — despite becoming eligible a decade earlier.
Ms Evagelou said that process led her to assume she was not yet at risk.
“I was under some sort of idea that you go and get your mammogram once you turn 50, or if breast cancer runs in your family, and it’s not the case at all,” she said.
“I don’t have breast cancer on either side of my family. I’m not 50.
“Cancer can get you at any time.”
The head of Federal Government-run Cancer Australia said communicating the free mammogram service was “tricky” and “a little bit complicated”.
“The evidence shows that screening becomes cost effective … when you reach 50,” Cancer Australia CEO Professor Dorothy Keefe said.
Professor Keefe said around 19,800 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Australia, and 16 per cent of those are aged in their 40s.
Ms Evagelou dressed in 1950s pin-up attire for the “awful” five-hour treatment. She has adopted the social media moniker ‘Cancer pin-up doll’ on Instagram, where she expresses her bubbly personality despite the disease, and promotes earlier detection among her peers.
“This whole thing about being 50 and waiting until you get the letter in the mail to go and get yourself a breast screen [or] waiting to feel a lump in your breast before you take action… everyone should be having regular checks regardless,” she said.
“Having chemo is far more inconvenient than having a breast exam. Telling your friends and family and children you have cancer is … far scarier than having a health check.”
The 20th day of November has been assigned as World Day for the Rights of the Child.
This day, as well as yesterday and tomorrow, and indeed every day of the year, all children, wherever they may be around the world, hope and envision a better world, for themselves, for their families, for the communities in which they live and for all humanity. And when we, the adults forget, and when we are indifferent, when we become alienated and, in the end give up, they insist on hoping and envisioning a world with more love and compassion, with kindness and peace. A world that seems so close to the one that Christ showed us through his teaching.
Therefore, this day, which is dedicated to the rights of children, constitutes an opportunity to think about, and to reflect on our responsibilities to them and to whatever beautiful reality they long to create. We are called to consider that everyone, depending on their position and strengths, must contribute to the formation of an environment which is secure and prosperous, free from all forms of violence and danger.
We do not overlook that we have before us a long road to travel, as millions of children around the world continue to suffer abuse, exploitation and social exclusion; continue to face serious risks to their health and lives, growing up deprived of basic goods and freedoms. However, we do not despair and, on the occasion of this day today, we renew our commitment to daily struggle, in the community and society where each of us lives and works.
Our Holy Archdiocese, serving with devotion the command of the Lord: “Let the children come to me” (Mt 19:14), works tirelessly to bring young people closer to Christ and to make Him the precious compass to their dreams in life. But beyond this, however, with our good bishops and priests across the states of Australia, we strive every day to also follow the converse path: that is, to turn our own steps towards the children, so that we can recognise and meet their needs, both material and spiritual, to listen to their anxieties and worries, to offer them opportunities for expression, participation, creation.
I hope, with God’s help, that we might be able to have added a little stone to the edifice that the custodians of the hope of this world dream of building.
A 61-year-old disabled man was found crying, hugging his 90-year-old mother in a Kavala neighbourhood two days after she had passed of COVID-19.
The mother and son were diagnosed with Covid and advised to quarantine at home by the National Health Care Organization (EODY).
The son-in-law was concerned about the lack of communication and requested the police to check up on them. The police broke the door into the house and found the two left without care.
With the help of police and an ambulance, the 61-year-old man was transferred to the hospital on Saturday night.
The story was revealed by a doctor of the General Hospital in Kavala. “The disable man was hungry, dehydrated, scared and had high fever. He was crying all the time,” the doctor who was shaken by the drama posted on Facebook.
“The man was in a stage before intubation, his lungs were in very bad condition, he would hardly breathe, had high fever. And he was crying, he was weeping for hours. I think he was weeping for the loss of his mother.”
“His situation remain critical, he needs additional care due to his heavy disabilities,” the doctor wrote on Wednesday.
The Greek Federation of People with Disabilities wrote on Wednesday to Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias, calling him to to immediately investigate the incident and focus on the lack of care for people with disabilities during the pandemic.
“In a welfare state it is not allowed that the help for an adult person with heavy disability relays solely on the family,” the Federation stressed.
“The specific incident, apart from tragic, is also a blatant violation of fundamental human rights,” ESAMEA said in its letter to the Health Minister.
People on social media have slammed the Greek government for doing very little to maintain proper care for disabled people during the pandemic.
Greek police arrested a Syrian Islamic State suspect on Thursday after a brawl at a migrant camp where he has been staying with his wife and children and said he was believed to have been involved in a number of killings.
The 27-year old man, who arrived in Greece in March 2018, was detained after an argument on Wednesday between two groups at the camp, a police official said.
He was arrested on Thursday, accused of being a member of a terrorist group and participating in homicides. He is expected to appear before a prosecutor later in the day, according to a police statement.
Refugees and migrants board a ferry on the island of Lesbos, Greece | Photo: Picture-alliance/AP Photo/Michael Varaklas
Police said such arrests were rare.
Greece, on the front line of migration into Europe, promised on Wednesday to build new reception centres for asylum seekers and cut the maximum stay in camps on its now-overcrowded islands.
The country bore the brunt of a large influx of refugees and migrants into Europe in 2015 and 2016, many arriving via its outlying Aegean islands close to Turkey.
The Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HACCI) held its 34th annual awards ceremony last night to recognise and celebrate excellence in the Greek Australian community.
Held at the Hellenic Museum and hosted by Mary Coustas, the digital ceremony experienced a three hour delay due to technical difficulties, yet rolled straight into their awards presentation once all issues were solved.
The ceremony opened up with a special message from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who said although they couldn’t meet tonight, he is grateful that the important event continued to go ahead.
“After all, tonights about recognising the Hellenic Australians who bring our nation together. And who in doing so make our state stronger,” Daniel Andrews said.
The first award of the night was the Bank of Sydney Business Award, awarded to an individual who has made significant contributions to their industry, built a strong brand, and are recognised leaders within their industry.
Melbourne Seafood Centre CEO Barbara Konstas. ABC/David Sparkes
Melbourne Seafood Centre CEO Barbara Konstas received the prestigious award, saying its added some “positivity and normalcy” to the difficult year.
“I was in my father’s shadow as he had a family business in the wholesale fish market and this taught me all about how to run a business,” Barbara Konstas said during her acceptance speech.
The next award recipient was Dr Paul Eliadis AM, who received the Professional Services Award for his incredible 35-year contribution to clinical haematology and oncology.
“I was very surprised to receive the award… the things I do I’ll be doing for many many years, I’ve never thought of awards if I’m honest. I’ve done these things because they seem like the right things to do,” Dr Eliadis said.
Dr Paul Eliadis.
Gadjo Dilo presented their signature gypsy-swing take on beloved Greek songs, from the rooftop of Gazarte, during the award breaks. Also entertaining watchers, performer Fivos Delivorias sent a very special musical message to the Greek Community and to the Chamber.
For the first time this year, the HACCIs presented a new Award; The Innovation Award. It acknowledged an individual who has made significant contribution to their industry through the introduction or improvement of an idea, method, technology, process or application.
The inaugural recipient of the award was well-known Greek Australian researcher Vasso Apostolopoulos, who has dedicated her life to the fields of medicinal chemistry, molecular biology and immunology, being the first in the world to develop the first concept of immunotherapy for cancer in the early 1990s.
Vasso Apostolopoulos receiving her award at the HACCIs.
“Throughout my career the Greek community has really been behind me and helped me with my research and support me…. and in return I promise I will develop and promote drugs and vaccines against various diseases,” the inaugural Innovation Award recipient said.
Violet Roumeliotis received the Woman of Influence Award at the digital ceremony, recognised as one of Australia’s greatest social entrepreneur’s that has been a champion of diversity, inclusion and social justice. Violet dedicated the award to her 80-year-old mother who still inspires her everyday, along with her late father, Yianni, who “lives in her heart” for the past 30 years since he was lost.
“This award is for all those migrants who arrived on our shores with hope, open hearts, aspirations and dreams,” Violet said upon receiving her award.
Violet Roumeliotis. Photo: The Leader/Chris Lane
The HACCI Sports Award was given not to a renowned sports athlete, but to another individual that is a vital asset in the sports industry. Delly Carr has 30+ years experience of ethics and signature photography and was formally recognised by his peers with his induction as a founding Member of the World Photography Academy.
The Community Award was presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution as a role model for compassion and service. The award was handed out to Lilian Gomatos, who has been an integral part of the Darwin Greek community for decades, working tirelessly to promote Greek culture to the broader community.
Through her leadership, the community established Glenti, the glorious Greek festival that has been running in the Northern Territory for 32 years.
Delly Carr.
Lilian Gomatos.
The Chris Saristavros Young Achiever Award honours young role models who will shape the future of the Greek community, and who more deserving than Natalie Kyriacou. The Founder and CEO of My Green World, Natalie has been endeavouring to drive positive change worldwide, creating inclusive youth education programs and technologies that increase access to wildlife and environmental conservation and sciences.
“My goal has always been to have a positive impact on the world and inspire curiosity and kindness in my own small way. Thanks to HACCI and my supportive family, I’ve been able to have a greater impact than I could’ve possibly imagined,” Natalie Kyriacou said.
Natalie Kyriacou is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree.
As the award ceremony came to a close, the final and most important award was yet to be handed out. The Spiro Stamoulis Lifetime Achievement Award honours those who have had a strong impact on the Hellenic Australian Community of Diaspora throughout their private and professional life.
Nick Polites has been a champion of multiculturalism and a living example of how music brings people together. He was one of the founders of the Greek Australian Welfare Society, which led to him gaining a membership in the Galbally Committee that reviewed Australia’s multicultural public policy in the late 1970s.
Nick Polites.
Mary Coustas passed on her congratulations to all the winners, saying the awards will return bigger and stronger next year.
The head of the Church of Greece, Archbishop Ieronymos, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is being treated with mild symptoms in a central Athens hospital, Greek media reported on Thursday.
Ieronymos, 82, is the spiritual head of the Church in the deeply devout nation of more than 11 million which overwhelmingly identify themselves as Greek Orthodox Christians.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who met the prelate on Nov. 14, has twice in the past seven days tested negative for the novel coronavirus; once before his meeting with the cleric, and a second time before travelling to the United Arab Emirates, an official statement said.
Pope Francis (L) gestures next to Archbishop Ieronymos II on the Greek Island of Lesbos during a visit aimed at supporting refugees and drawing attention to the front line of Europe’s migration crisis in Lesbos, Greece, April 16, 2016. REUTERS/ Filippo Monteforte.
“Taking that into account, experts recommend there is no reason for precautionary quarantine,” government spokesman Stelios Petsas said, adding the government wished Ieronymos a speedy recovery.
Metropolitan Bishop Ioannis of Lagadas, 62, was buried earlier this week after dying of COVID-19. The town of Lagadas near the northern city of Thessaloniki, is in a region currently experiencing the highest rate of infection in a surge of the coronavirus in Greece.
A nationwide lockdown has been imposed until the end of the month in an effort to get the spread under control. Greece, a country of about 11 million people, currently has more than 82,000 confirmed positive coronavirus cases and nearly 1,300 deaths.
