Only one week has passed since the Olympics closing ceremony in Beijing, so any attempt to evaluate the long-term impact of Greece’s performance at the summer Games would be somewhat premature.

Nevertheless, few would disagree that there is good reason to be concerned about the future of Greek sports. The grim conclusion derives not only from Greece’s poor medal haul, the sad doping scandals involving Greek athletes or the fear that young kids will be left without worthy role models.

The concern, rather, centers on the behavior of a number of Greece’s senior sports officials, since they are the ones who shape developments in the field on multiple levels.

One can see the unfettered ambition driving these people who do not hesitate to put their personal well-being ahead of the progress of the country; people who fail to take into consideration the impact of their private squabbles; people who shy away from adversity; and above all, people who have displayed a chronic inability to propose any measure that could help bring sports to every school and to every neighborhood where the Olympic champions of tomorrow await inspiration and support.