By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nikos Hardalias, the governor of the Attica region, met with Euroleague Basketball president Dejan Bodiroga during the EHCB Coaches Congress 2025. Referring to the bid of Athens for the hosting rights of the next EuroLeague Final Four, at the end of the 2025-26 season, he explained how the Greek capital is always ready to organize major sports tournaments.
“Today I was at OAKA, at the EuroLeague coaching seminar. I had the pleasure of meeting and discussing both with my good friend and excellent coach Giannis Sfairopoulos, and watching two equally world-class coaches, Zeljko Obradovic and Dimitris Itoudis, talk about the essence of basketball, about how you build teams, characters and championships to an audience of more than 500 coaches, in total, from all over the world!”, Hardalias recaped his visit to the fifth installment of the trademark event of the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board.
“A rare opportunity to see our favorite sport, the game, through this unique perspective,” he continued, “During the event, I also had an important and meaningful meeting and discussion with the president of the EuroLeague, Dejan Bodiroga. I assured him in person that our Attica, the region of the greater Athens area, is always ready to host major events.”
“We have the infrastructure, we have the know-how, we have the experience and the right people, and above all we have the passion to be protagonists and to welcome major events that bring the capital region of our homeland to the epicenter of the global sporting ideal,” he added, “And, of course, we are ready to support and cooperate with both the government and every organization involved in this effort.”
“Because sports are not just entertainment and spectacle – they are an investment in society, in our children, in the extroversion and promotion of our homeland,” he furthered.
“Our Attica can. And it will prove it in every situation. In every opportunity and challenge! Again and again!” concluded Hardalias.