“For our government, sports are a top priority, and we demonstrate this every day through concrete actions and initiatives,” said the President of the Republic, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, tonight in his remarks at the event marking 40 years of athletic cooperation between Greeceand Cyprus, held at the Presidential Palace, during which awards were presented to individuals who promote cooperation between the two countries in the field of sports.
The full text of the President of the Republic’s address follows:
“It is with deep emotion that I welcome you tonight to the Presidential Palace, together with the Minister of Education, the Deputy Minister of Culture, the Deputy Minister of Migration, the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, the Deputy Minister to the President, and so many members of the Cabinet—a fact that underscores the importance we place on sports—to celebrate the 40th anniversary of uninterrupted, fruitful sports cooperation between Cyprus and Greece. To honor a milestone of particular significance—one that transcends the narrow confines of a long-standing sporting partnership and stands as living, irrefutable confirmation of the unbreakable and fraternal bonds that unite our countries.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Bonds forged over the centuries by our shared historical destiny, our common values, and our very national consciousness. Over the past four decades, sports have emerged as one of the strongest unifying forces. An unbreakable link that has not only kept our bridges unshaken but—and this is most important, as we must look to the future—strengthens them every day.
Allow me to welcome to our homeland our friend, the Greek Minister of Sports, the leading figures in Greek sports, and the Olympic champions who are with us tonight. Your presence, which reaffirms the importance of this transnational sporting partnership, honors us and moves us deeply.
During a difficult period when our homeland was still trying to heal the deep wounds of the brutal Turkish invasion, the signing of the First Sports Protocol between Greece and Cyprus in 1986 was not a symbolic gesture; it was not merely an act of solidarity.
It was, in fact, an act of the utmost national and social significance. Our Greece threw open its stadiums, its infrastructure, and its warm embrace to welcome the youth of Cyprus. It gave our male and female athletes the right to continue dreaming and competing at the highest international level.
Since then, we have traveled a shared athletic journey spanning four decades, the fruits and achievements of which continue to enrich and elevate the athletic and cultural life of both countries. A journey that spans from our long-standing athletic competitions to the joint training of our athletes, who have honored our national colors at the Olympic Games.
Today, this established 40-year history of sports cooperation has taken a decisive, qualitative leap toward the future. Thanks to our tireless efforts and shared vision, sports in our countries are now entering a new, more dynamic era.
This strategic decision—a sign of shared political will at the highest level— to transform the bilateral agreement into a Protocol on Sports Cooperation, formally seals this fraternal partnership and establishes a strong institutional framework that lays the foundation for continuous, open, and uninterrupted interaction.
In this context—and I would like to thank you warmly—Cyprus now benefits from valuable scientific support, which the Greek Minister of Sports has graciously provided us. We are already utilizing cutting-edge digital reform tools, such as the innovative e-Kouros digital platform and the “Chilon” federation evaluation system.
These tools allow us to comprehensively document, both quantitatively and qualitatively, our entire sports ecosystem, ensuring absolute transparency, good governance, and modern strategic planning—all of which we owe to the younger generation.
Particular emphasis is placed on the younger generation, on education, and on fostering what we aim to promote: athletic education, through the creation of a coherent institutional framework for the effective planning, coordination, and implementation of targeted initiatives. A central pillar of this joint effort is our commitment to supporting and promoting the goals and actions of the “Dimitrios Vikelas” Greek Action Plan for Olympic and Olympic and Paralympic Education, History, and Values “Dimitrios Vikelas.”
By leveraging institutional synergies and implementing specific educational and social initiatives, we seek to preserve, highlight, and systematically pass on the historical and ethical legacy of the first President of the International Olympic Committee, because we, as Greeks, have a responsibility to carry out this transmission for the benefit of the societies of Greece and Cyprus, as well as the international sports community.
For our government, sports are a top priority, and we demonstrate this every day through concrete actions and initiatives. Any decision we make in the Cabinet regarding sports is not viewed as a financial expense or an accounting entry, but as an investment in our country and its future.
We do not view the sector merely as a realm of competitive sports, but as a fundamental social good. In this context, we have implemented specific reforms, among which I would like to mention, by way of example:
- At the elite sports level, we have developed a modernized post-Paris plan for professional rehabilitation, through which all athletes participating in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, regardless of their ranking, are provided for after the end of their athletic careers.
- Through our athlete-centered policy, we have made the upgrading of sports facilities and the creation of new infrastructure a priority.
- In the spirit of social justice—something that did not exist before—inclusion, and balanced support, we have implemented equal benefits for able-bodied and disabled athletes.
- We are moving forward with specific measures against violence, as well as with the creation of a completely safe environment in sports.
- We also had a unique opportunity: in the first half of 2026, Cyprus was at the helm of the EU, holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU, we had a historic opportunity and an additional strong foundation for growth. By setting critical priorities, we succeeded in positioning Cyprus as a reliable, modern, and important partner in shaping the future of global sports.
Today, we are taking yet another significant step. On the occasion of today’s anniversary event, I am announcing a decisive institutional breakthrough for the future of sports in our country. Following a recommendation from my Advisor on Sports, Mr. Kostas Papakostas—whom I would like to publicly thank—I am announcing the establishment of the National Sports Council, which we approved today at the Cabinet meeting. So, this is not a promise that we will do it—we did it today. This is a leading scientific body, which aims to create a body of highly specialized experts with technical know-how and the integration of science into sports.
Among the priorities of the National Sports Council is something we have been long overdue to address in Cyprus, and that is the drafting of a comprehensive proposal for the creation of a Deputy Ministry of Sports. This is something our country lacks; we are here to strengthen sports, and, yes, this will be achieved in part through the establishment of a Deputy Ministry of Sports.
I am also announcing tonight additional support for the preparation of our champions ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. We want you to be as prepared as possible. Let me remind you that, ahead of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, we bolstered our athletes’ preparation with an additional grant of €350,000. In preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, the grant will increase to €700,000. This is not a promise; the amount has been budgeted, today in the Cabinet we approved the first draft of the budget, and this preparation program will be implemented by the Hellenic Olympic Committee (KOA) on January 1, 2027, so that our male and female athletes have the necessary time to prepare properly. This decision of ours is yet another concrete demonstration of our support for our athletes, a substantial investment in the people who are our country’s most worthy ambassadors and who make us proud abroad as they compete under our national colors.
I feel the need to once again express the deep, sincere gratitude of the State and the Cypriot people toward the Greek Government and our brotherly Greek people. Addressing you in particular—our athletes from both Cyprus and Greece— I want to emphasize that you are, without a doubt—especially today, at a time when our society is facing many and multifaceted challenges, particularly the new, broader standards for our society— You keep alive the flame of the universal values of Olympism born in ancient Greece, and we are proud of that.
You carry on the long, glorious tradition of Hellenism, putting into practice the ideals of excellence, “fair play,” and noble competition in every athletic endeavor. You are the finest ambassadors of our shared athletic journey. In close cooperation with the relevant ministers of both countries, the Cyprus Sports Organization, along with the newly established National Sports Council, we will continue to work based on a clear plan and strategy.
Our goal and objective are clearly to continually breathe new life and bring a dynamic perspective to this creative partnership of ours.”
