Hellenic Basketball Federation president resigns amid match-fixing investigation

Vangelis Liolios, president of the Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK), officially announced his resignation on October 25, 2026, following his appearance before an investigating magistrate in Athens. Liolios and his associate, Giorgos Mavraganis, are key figures in an ongoing criminal investigation into alleged match-fixing and bribery within Greek basketball. The two men were detained by police before being brought to court for questioning. Liolios, who claims the charges are a conspiracy, testified for several hours and submitted financial records to support his defense. He stated that his departure is intended to ensure the stability and integrity of the sport while the judicial process continues.

In response to the resignation, the EOK board has scheduled an emergency session to manage the transition and address the federation's future leadership. Calls have already emerged for a full overhaul of the board, with some figures proposing that basketball legend Panagiotis Giannakakis take the helm to restore credibility. The broader investigation, which began months ago, has already resulted in the detention of at least one former referee. With more hearings scheduled for the coming days, the Greek sports community remains in a state of flux as authorities widen the probe into potential administrative involvement.