Financial Times are acutely criticizing the decision of SEGAS to suspend any operation to protest against cuts to its budget, thus jeopardizing Greece’s participation in track and field events at the London Olympics.
“The funding crisis for the Greek team is an embarrassment for the International Olympic Committee which next month will oversee the ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame in Olympia, the seat of the Olympics in ancient Greece, ahead of the summer games in London,” reports Financial Times.
The article underlines “athletes have complained about lack of heating this winter at indoor training facilities and poor maintenance of outside facilities.”
Financial Times mentions that SEGAS, the country’s athletic federation, made the following statement: “We appeal to the country’s sports leadership and specifically to the culture minister Pavlos Geroulanos to break this economic deadlock and avert the disintegration of classical athletics.”
There was no immediate reaction from the culture ministry, which also controls funding for sports, according to the article. “The move by Segas will only affect athletics competitions in Greece, which are due to start next month, but the federation warned it could broaden its action ‘depending on how this major problem develops.’”
(Source: www.ft.com)
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