“I am stepping aside so that basketball can function.” With this statement before the investigating magistrate, the president of the Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK), Vangelis Liolios, announced his decision to cease all activity in the sport until the judicial process is complete.
Liolios made the statement shortly after 10:00 a.m. on Sunday (October 25), when he entered the investigating magistrate’s office.
The EOK president clarified that his withdrawal from basketball will last as long as it takes for the case to be cleared up.
His close associate, Giorgos Mavraganis, who holds no official role in the federation, is also giving his defense testimony. The two men were brought before the judicial authorities from the Attica Police Headquarters (GADA), where they had been temporarily held after being granted an extension to prepare their defense.
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Denying the Charges
Liolios’s defense stresses that he categorically denies the charges of bribery and match manipulation, insisting that there is no incriminating evidence against him in the case file.
The testimonies are still underway. Once they are completed, the investigating magistrate and the prosecutor will meet to decide how the two defendants will be handled and whether they will be held in pretrial detention.
49 Games Under Scrutiny, Money Laundering Probe
The scope of the investigation is considered unprecedented, with a total of 49 basketball games under scrutiny covering the period from 2016 to 2026, ranging from the top division to school championships, amid a steady stream of new complaints from coaches and players.
Greece’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority is carrying out a thorough financial audit of the defendants’ assets and declarations of wealth, and is expanding its investigation to other figures in professional sports, with a focus on soccer.