Corruption scandal shakes Greek basketball

Greek basketball is facing a major match-fixing investigation involving 49 games spanning from 2016 to 2026. The probe covers professional leagues, including the Basket League, and youth tournaments, notably a 2026 school championship in Paphos, Cyprus, where match manipulation allegedly granted the winning team preferential university admission credits. Six individuals, including the President of the Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK), Vangelis Liolios, a businessman, and four referees, face charges of bribery and corruption. Evidence includes intercepted messages, testimonies from whistleblowers, and the discovery of 820,000 euros in a former referee’s home.

Legal proceedings began on October 23, 2026, with the questioning of the six suspects. While the defense team for Liolios denies the charges as baseless and fabricated, other figures, including coach Panagiotis Giannakis, are seeking to provide further testimony to the authorities. The investigator has requested betting data from the Hellenic Gaming Commission to determine the scale of the alleged illegal network. As investigations continue, prosecutors and judges are evaluating the testimonies to decide on further criminal actions, with more hearings scheduled through late October.