Greece and Cyprus sign protocol for sports cooperation

President of the Cyprus Sports Organisation Titos Christofides and Greek Deputy Minister of Culture with Responsibilities for Sports George Orphanos signed today a protocol for sports cooperation and the programme for sports exchanges between Greece and Cyprus for 2006.

In the framework of the same ceremony, Karolina Pelendritou, Cypriot gold medalist in swimming in the Athens Paralympics, was awarded a commendation.

Receiving the commendation, Pelendritou described the agreement as very important, noting that it will promote sports in the two countries and everybody will benefit.

In his address, Christofides said that ‘every intergovernmental agreement with Greece is of great importance because it carries a symbolism which everybody feels.’

‘These traditionally brother-like ties do not deteriorate in time and remain solid, when they include the right personal relation,’ Christofides said.

He further referred to the recent success of Cypriot tennis player Marcos Baghdatis in the Australian Open, ‘a phenomenal athlete for Cypriot standards, who is evolving in a phenomenon of world sports,’ since he managed in a few days to seed from 54th to 27th in the world ranking.

The Greek official said that cooperation with Cyprus is continuous in all fields, with common goals at all international fora.

‘We are, in reality, one fist and the exchanges of Cypriot and Greek athletes helps,’ he said, noting that the agreement ‘provides for 33 Olympic and non-Olympic sports, covers almost all sports and we estimate around 3,500 stays in Cyprus.’ (CNA)