Visit to the Presidential Palace in Nicosia
Olympiacos BC visited the Presidential Palace in Nicosia following an invitation from the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides.
Mr. Christodoulides welcomed the European and Greek champions, congratulated them on their achievements from last season, and highlighted the importance of the international basketball tournament in Cyprus for the development of the sport on the island.
In his opening remarks, the President of the Republic of Cyprus told our team’s players, coaching staff, Olympiacos BC General Manager Nikos Lepeniotis and Sports Director Christos Bafes that he makes no secret of the fact that he is an Olympiacos supporter. He also personally wished head coach Giorgos Bartzokas even more success and trophies in the future.
Representing Olympiacos BC, Nikos Lepeniotis was the first to speak: “On behalf of our club’s Presidents, Panagiotis and Giorgos Angelopoulos, I would like to sincerely thank the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, for this honorary invitation. Our Presidents would have very much liked to be here, but their commitments did not allow them to attend. I believe this is the first time we have come here, to the Presidential Palace, and it is a great pleasure and honor to be here as European champions. Every time we come to Cyprus, we feel the strong emotional connection and the love of the people here. For us, this is a very special trip and, with the blessing of this place, we feel extremely happy to begin the new season here. We would therefore like to thank President Nikos Christodoulides, as well as the organizers of the tournament, who honor us with their invitation. I would also like to extend an invitation from our Presidents for you to visit the renovated Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF) and join us in watching our team in whichever game you would like to attend.”
Giorgos Bartzokas then addressed the gathering, saying: “It is a great honor for a sports team to be here, at the Presidential Palace. So, thank you very much for the invitation. Knowing that we are here alongside an Olympiacos supporter, as you mentioned, makes us feel even more at home. Of course, as Mr. Lepeniotis said, you are more than welcome to visit our home in Piraeus whenever your demanding schedule allows. We would be delighted to welcome you in the same way that you have welcomed us here today.”
Our team captain, Kostas Papanikolaou, also praised the way the Cypriot state invests in basketball and sports in general, saying: “Thank you very much for inviting us to the Presidential Palace. Having been here with the Greek National Team for EuroBasket 2025, and having also been coming here with Olympiacos over the years for the tournament, I would like to congratulate you on the way you, as a state, promote not only basketball but sport in general. I still remember how I felt as a young boy when I was invited to a game between PAOK and Olympiacos. I couldn’t sleep because I was so excited to see up close all those athletes I used to watch on television. That is why it is so important that this tournament is held here, that EuroBasket is hosted in Limassol, and that you continue to take initiatives as a state to promote sport in Cyprus.”
The last one to talk on behalf of Olympiacos was Sasha Vezenkov. Naturally, he has a special connection with Cyprus, having spent the early years of his life on the island: “For me, being in Cyprus feels different. I have lived here, I have friends here, and of course my sister still lives in Cyprus. I do feel a little strange when I come here for professional reasons. I am used to Cyprus being my home, seeing my friends and family members. However, I am very happy that we are here once again with Olympiacos and that we all feel this special connection with the community here. It is very important to me because I was very close to Neofytos Chandriotis, and honoring his memory through this tournament is something truly special. Thank you very much for the invitation, and we will be delighted to see you tonight at the friendly game as well (September 11, 20:00 CET, vs. Crvena Zvezda)".
The Olympiacos BC visit to the Presidential Palace concluded with our team presenting President Nikos Christodoulides with two commemorative jerseys celebrating the club’s EuroLeague and GBL titles. The visit ended with a group photo outside the Presidential Palace, with the team posing alongside the trophies.
Watch the VIDEO below from Olympiacos’ visit to the Presidential Palace.