Receiving the members of Greece’s Olympic and Paralympic teams at the Paris Olympics in the presidential mansion President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou said it was an “expression of recognition, on the part of the State, for your achievements, individual and collective, but especially of your effort, persistence and fortitude.”

Addressing the athletes, she said that each of them had distinguished themselves in an area where good sportmanship was prized alongside results, promoting values such as dedication to a goal, respect for opponents, humility and dignity. She noted that each of the athletes had not let any of the obstacles strewn in their path get in the way, achieving the summit.

Sakellaropoulou concluded by congratulating and thanking all the athletes on behalf of all Greece, saying they had not only earned glory for themselves but also helped promote Greece worldwide, and greeting each of them individually.

The Paralympic and Olympic Committee each presented the president with a shirt signed by the members of their missions and a small replica of the statue of Apteros Nike, while the president gave each of the officials of the Greek missions either a female scarf or a pocket handkerchief with the signature of Greek designer Mary Katrantzos.

The Chef de Mission in Paris Olympics Petros Synadinos and the Deputy Chef de Mission and ICMG General Secretary Iakovos Filippousis together with the Hellenic Olympic Committee President Spyros Capralos, presented the president with a shirt signed by the members of Team Hellas in Paris Olympics.

The event was also attended by Alternate Minister for Education, Religion and Sports Yiannis Vroutsis, the Secretary General for Sports Giorgos Mavrotas, the  Olympic Attaché at Paris Olympics Michalis Fysentzidis, the HOC Secretary General Emmanouil Kolympadis and the President of the Hellenic Paaolympic Committee Giorgos Kapellakis.