Vangelis Liolios, then president of the Hellenic Basketball Federation, at EuroBasket Women 2025 in June 2025 (file photo). Photo: Zafer / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Basketgate: Government Keeps EOK Funding Frozen and Calls for Snap Elections

by · Greek City Times

Greece’s government has kept state funding to the Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK) frozen and is pressing it to hold fresh leadership elections as soon as possible. The move comes as the match-fixing scandal known as “Basketgate” sweeps through Greek basketball.

Deputy Sports Minister Giannis Vroutsis called the federation’s new president and board to an emergency meeting on Monday 26 October. Afterwards he said public trust “has been shaken and is not restored simply by reshuffling roles within the administration”, Newsit reported.

“I respect the federation’s autonomy… and I do not impose decisions,” Vroutsis said. “But I recommend, as is my duty, the clear path of elections as soon as possible, immediately if possible. At such a juncture, whoever governs must not be disputed and must draw their legitimacy from a new, clean mandate from the clubs.”

What is Basketgate?

Basketgate is a criminal investigation into alleged match-fixing, bribery and breaches of sports law in Greek basketball.

Read more: Greek Basketball Federation President Arrested in Match-Fixing Probe

On Wednesday 21 October, police from the Organised Crime Directorate, the so-called “Greek FBI”, arrested six people, including EOK president Vangelis Liolios, Kathimerini reported.

The probe reportedly covers about 50 games played between 2016 and 2026, at every level from youth and school championships up to the top-tier Greek Basketball League, including one game played abroad. It follows a secret investigation by sports prosecutor Apostolos Grammenos, CNN Greece reported. The case file reportedly includes statements from eight witnesses.

Besides Liolios, CNN Greece named those charged as:

  • referees Vasiliki Tsarouha, Petros Papapetrou and Tasos Piloidis;
  • chief referee and refereeing adviser Ilias Koromilas;
  • businessman Giorgos Mavraganis, a friend of Liolios.

Liolios had been elected head of the federation in 2021 on a platform of modernisation and transparency, CNN Greece reported. According to reports, €820,000 in cash was found at a referee’s home in the provinces.

Resignation and custody

Liolios resigned as EOK president on Sunday 25 October while appearing before the investigating magistrate. He denied the allegations, Kathimerini reported. He and Mavraganis were then remanded in custody, To Vima reported.

On Monday evening, Koromilas was also remanded in custody, joining Papapetrou, Gazzetta reported. Tsarouha and Piloidis were released under house arrest with electronic tags and banned from any involvement in basketball.

All three defendants who testified on Monday declared their innocence, CNN Greece reported. According to To Vima, others may be summoned as defendants in the coming days.

Funding on hold

The Sports Ministry first suspended the federation’s statutory subsidies on 22 October, Libre reported. It also ordered two audits of EOK’s finances for 2024, 2025 and 2026:

  • an extraordinary fiscal and management audit by the Finance Ministry’s General Directorate of Fiscal Audits;
  • a financial and management audit by the National Transparency Authority.

The ministry noted that match-fixing can also bring financial penalties through the annual sharing out of gambling revenue to sports bodies.

On Monday, Vroutsis said the freeze would stay until the audits are complete, Kathimerini reported. Essential running costs such as staff salaries are exempt, and basketball clubs will keep receiving their subsidies as normal.

When will EOK vote?

New EOK president Angelos Papanikolaou said the board wanted a clean-up of the sport. However, he did not commit to a date and said only that elections would be held “within a reasonable time”, according to Kathimerini. He said the interim board would keep the championships and national teams running, and would send the ministry an election timetable.

Under EOK’s statutes, elections take place 45 days after they are called, MEGA reported. If the board calls them immediately, the vote would be held around mid-December or, at the latest, in early January.

All those charged are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Stay connected to Greek City Times for Free on Google News
Click NOW
Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on WhatsApp, Google News and Apple News.

Related coverage

Advertising