The Panhellenic Wheelchair Basketball Tournament is for people with disabilities, and it is extremely significant and impressive. This year the last match of the Final Four was between AS Atlas of Athens and GS Dodekanisos of Rhodes and it took place on June 17th in an indoor court at Nea Smyrni.
I had never watched such a match before and it really impressed me. Both teams tried their hardest in a final full of energy. The rules of the game are well known: 4 quarters of ten minutes each and five players per team. What really impressed me was how many women spectators there were.
Even though Dodekanisos won by 62 points to 60, the overall winner for the second year running was Atlas, because they finished with the highest number of points overall in the Final Four.
When the game was over, I spoke to some of the players.
Giorgos Makris plays for Paska and also for the national side. He may not have reached the final but he was the first scorer in this year’s tournament. He is an above the knee amputee as the result of an accident, and has been playing basketball for the past 23 years, since 1996.
What did you think of the final?
The final match was very impressive, very dynamic and was a great advertisement for our sport.
Do you have a special message for refugees with disabilities who have come to Greece seeking a new life?
We already work with some refugees with disabilities and we happen to have one in our team. We would very much like more to join us, so that they begin to interact with others and learn about sports. We would like to have them as part of our group and include them in our matches.
What do you think of the Paralympic Games?
People with disabilities take part in these. They are equivalent to the Olympic Games and take place 2-3 weeks after them. They represent the ultimate effort of all those who have been training and competing for years, the highlight of all their endeavours. The athletes push themselves beyond their personal limits, and this is what they have been working towards all year.
What do you have to say to our readers?
If they know of a disabled refugee or immigrant they should talk to them, get them to come to our centre and take part in our sports.
I then spoke with Ioannis Haldaios, who has been playing basketball for the past 17 years, the last five of which have been with AS Atlas of Athens
What do you have to say to teenage refugees who have emerged from the war with a disability?
I would like to tell them that if they take up sports they are doing both their mental and physical health a lot of good. They will get stronger, they will travel, compete and train, and they will integrate socially. All this will make it easier for them to overcome their difficulties.
Is life with sport better than life without?
I think that taking part in sports is a good thing because you take on certain responsibilities that you have to honour. You have a schedule and life flows more smoothly. This is especially true in our case: after an accident, when your system starts to atrophy, you find your strength through sport and you are able to carry on.
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