It is the largest event in Europe in workplace sports concerning basketball and more.

In fact, Athens will be the host city of the 13th European FIMBA Maxibasketball Championship for working amateur athletes, which will take place in our country and the Greek capital from 26 June to 5 July 2026.

EKA Basketball “Nikos Galis,” FIMBA Maxibasketball, and the Federation of Greek Wheelchair Basketball Clubs (OSEKA) held a press conference ahead of this major event. Present were:

Savvas Anastiadis (Secretary General of EKA Basketball “Nikos Galis”), Konstantinos Zygouras (President and CEO of Sunel), Christos Liarakos (President of EKA Basketball “Nikos Galis”), Kostas Koulouris (President of the Athens Labor Center), Christos Kaloudis (President of OSEKA), and Paris Petras (President of FIMBA Maxibasketball Europe). Also in attendance—offering greetings—were Nikos Babanikolós (Honorary President and Founder of SPAKE and SPAK–AEK), Nikos Apostolidis (Professor at the School of Physical Education and President of SPAK–AEK), and Panagiotis Kouloumparitsis (Public Relations Officer of the Athens Labor Center).

Mr. Koulouris, in his brief greeting, said that the Athens Labor Center fully supports both the event and workplace sports in general.

Mr. Zygouras emphasized Sunel’s unconditional support for the efforts of both EKA Basketball “Nikos Galis” and Maxibasketball.

The presence of OSEKA President Christos Kaloudis was symbolic but also substantial. On the one hand, because OSEKA signed a memorandum of cooperation with Maxibasketball and EKA Basketball “Nikos Galis,” and on the other hand because today’s date was chosen as it is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

“Our participation in the games will not be symbolic, but meaningful. We are glad to be here and we hope for long-term cooperation with the two organizations,” said Mr. Kaloudis. Mr. Petras expressed the wish that Maxibasketball games and wheelchair basketball games could take place simultaneously.

Mr. Anastiadis outlined the 40-year course of EKA Basketball “Nikos Galis,” emphasizing that it consists of amateurs who love basketball.

He made special reference to Nikos Galis, who sent a message expressing his support for the event.

In the video that was shown, besides the greatest Greek basketball player of all time, there were statements from Deputy Minister Giannis Vroutsis and the Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, recorded when the event was awarded to Greece.

Answering a question about the role of the Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK), he stressed: “We proposed to the federation to stand by us, even to take over the event, but there was no response.”

Mr. Liarakos, after speaking about EKA Basketball “Nikos Galis” and Maxibasketball, stated: “Basketball unites. The State stands by us, and I want to thank Giannis Vroutsis and Giorgos Mavrotas for their support. I cannot say the same for EOK, which was invited to support us but declined. I repeat, basketball unites. We already have 172 registrations from outside Greece and the championship will take place as planned.”

Mr. Petras said: “For the event, we estimate that we will have over 250 registrations, a record number. According to the University of the Peloponnese, the event’s economic impact is estimated to reach €20,000,000.”