OPINION

Reviving fair play

One would have hoped that, in the midst of all this wretched matter of accusations and well-founded suspicions – but also evidence – of the use of banned substances in Greek athletics at large, there would be some glimmering hope of catharsis and renewal, some hope for the revival of fair play. One would have expected some sort of repentance by those implicated in the controversy (and there are many) for this shameful situation which their tolerance and complicity helped to create over the past few years, and which has been concealed by a widespread hypocrisy. But one would have expected to see similar regret in the majority of citizens who sensed something was wrong but preferred to pretend everything was alright and focus instead on the Olympic victories of our «golden boys and girls.» The success of our national soccer team at the Euro 2004 championships prompted the State to pledge a purging of the corruption and hooliganism marring Greek soccer with the aim of reinstating football games as the joyful Sunday afternoon event they once were. The government made this pledge and raised our hopes, as they were following pledges by state officials for a general purging of the athletics sector after the Olympics. But this can only happen if parties stop seeing this as an opportunity for petty politicking and see eye-to-eye on this very important matter.

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