Wrestlers fight to stay Greek
Two of Greece’s leading wrestlers, one of whom won an Olympic bronze medal, appeared close to tears yesterday at a news conference aimed at protesting their pending deportation from Greece for using forged papers to acquire Greek citizenship. Amiran Kardanov, a bronze medal winner in freestyle wrestling’s 54-kilogram category at the Sydney Games, and Aftadil Xanthopoulos, who was fifth in the 97-kilogram category, are from Russia and Georgia, respectively, and were naturalized a few years ago, claiming Greek descent. Three years ago they were charged with presenting forged documents with regard to their descent. A magistrates court found them guilty of forgery, automatically setting in motion a review of their naturalization. They have appealed. But according to Greek law, they should already have been expelled from the country and discharged from the armed forces (where they were commissioned because of their Olympic achievements). They would then be able to return with other documents to request Greek citizenship. «We did not come to Greece for holidays. We work very hard. I am ashamed for what we have been going through these last few days. I have a family. What will I tell my child?» Xanthopoulos told an emergency news conference, which was called by the Greek Wrestling Federation. The federation is urging the ministries involved to immediately solve the men’s problem. «Time is racing on,» said federation secretary-general Giorgos Tzias. «We want a solution for two athletes who are preparing intensively to raise the Greek flag high. It is incredible that our two champions should suffer such a blow 25 months before the Olympic Games,» he said. «We are Greek, we feel Greek,» said Kardanov.
