Kapralos elected new HOC chief
Spyros Kapralos is the new head of the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) as he defeated incumbent Minos Kyriakou, a Cypriot, by 18 votes to 11 yesterday. Kapralos therefore becomes the 24th head of the HOC and will occupy the post until 2013. In his first statements, he stressed that scientists will join in the battle against banned substances and that «clean sports» will be the HOC motto. The two sides fought a bitter election battle, with the winning one changing horse right in the final stretch, as Kapralos replaced Isidoros Kouvelos, the head of the Hellenic Equestrian Federation, only last week. Then Kyriakou alleged last Thursday that a covert listening device had been planted in his office. Kapralos, the president of the Athens Exchange, a former water polo champion and an executive director on the organizing committee for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, had the backing of the ruling political party, while Kyriakou, a media magnate and president of Panellinios sports club, was closer to main opposition PASOK.
