Local Football:

A.O. Analipsi Football Club. A couple of players from the 96/97 nine-a-side team were under scrutiny from a scout from Olympiakos, one of whom was 11 year old Daniel Lovell from Kato Gouves, who plays on the right wing.

Unfortunately, the scout did not put any of them on his books . . . but good luck next time.

This season this team won their League, and their manager, Marcos Tournakis, will take a party of 18 boys to Barcelona in September to watch Barcelona F.C. play.

Football:

The draw for the final round of the U.E.F.A. Under 19 Championships is: Group A: Germany, Spain, Bulgaria, Hungary. Group B: Czech Republic, England, Greece, Italy. The final will be played at the Střelnice Stadium in Jablonec, Czech Republic, on July 26, 2009.

OFI’S New Coach: Czech coach Frantisek Strakahas, 50, has taken over at O.F.I. in the Greek Super League, with a one-year contract. Last season O.F.I. finished 12th with 32 points.

Golf:

The Aegean Airlines Pro-am Tournament, held at the Crete Golf Club in Hersonissos, was contested by 44 teams (one professional and three amateurs in each team). In all, 176 participants from 12 countries competed for 62.000 Euros in prizes. The individual winner was Frederick Mansson of Sweden who pocketed 7.000 euros.  Local favourite Thanasis Karatzias won 4.000 euros as a runner-up. In addition, 12,000 euros raised by the tournament was donated to ‘Zoodohos Pigi’ (The Fountain of Life) Centre for Special Children in Iraklion.

Drug Cheats Put Sports Future At Risk: 

A black cloud hangs over the sport of weightlifting after several drug tests have been found to be positive ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August 2008. As reported in an earlier edition, 11 out of 14 of Greece’s top weightlifters have been provisionally banned for two years after taking illegal substances, and Indian female weightlifter, Kavati Devi, was also banned for two years.. Greek swimmer, Yiannis Drymonakos, had taken the same substance as the weightlifters and immediately retired from the sport. Recently the Greek Rowing Federation announced that champion Yiannis Ysamis has tested positive for the banned substance Finasteride. Australia also has its problems with nine athletes testing positive, six of whom have been banned for life. Earlier in the year, cyclists were the major contributors to the use of drugs, but unhappily it is spreading to other sports. The use of illegal substances must stop as our children look up to these athletes and try to follow in their footsteps. This column supports the banning for life of any athlete testing positive for drugs.

Athletics:

Neglected track and field stadiums in Greece are causing concern for the athletes. Most stadiums do not come up to the standards required for training. Since 1992, Greek track and field events have brought in many medals in major international competitions but unless the stadiums are vastly improved the medals will start to dwindle. Dimitris Gerles, head of SEGAS for Piraeus, said: “The situation has deteriorated and the prospects are worse than last year. We are not asking for a large stadium with stands, all we want is a training centre.”

Water Polo:

The Greek women’s national water polo team ensured they will be in this summer’s European Championships by winning all of their qualifying games. The championships will take place on July 4 to 13 in Malaga, Spain.

Triple Jump:

In the Greek Championships in Athens, Piyi Devetzi jumped 14.92 metres to win the triple jump final. Now she is one of the favourites for a medal in August at the Olympics in Beijing.

Windsurfing:

The 2008 Speed Windsurfing European Championship is to be held on the Greek island of Karpathos from August 20 to 26 this year on the “short track” (250m run) and prize money of 18,000 euros is sure to attract a lot of attention. This small island is situated between Crete and Rhodes and has excellent conditions for windsurfing.

Volleyball:

For the 14th time Greece has reached the finals of the European Volleyball Championships to be held in September 4 to 14 2009 in Izmir, Turkey.

Shooting:

Yiorgos Salavantakis will be Greece’s only representative in the shooting events at the August Olympics.

Boxing:

After Ukraine’s Ismail Sillakh was banned for a doping offence, Greek boxer Tassos Berdesis earned a spot at the Olympics, making him the third Greek boxer to qualify.

Sports to watch in July

Formula One:

July 4 to 6. British Grand Prix from Silverstone, Northamptonshire, England; July 18 to 20. German Grand Prix from Hockenheim, Germany.

Football:

July 2 to 12. World Deaf Football Championships, Patras, Greece.

Golf:

July 17 to 20. 137^th Open Championship, Royal Birkdale, England.