Papachristou removed from Greece team
Voula Papachristou has been withdrawn from the Olympics
A Greek athlete has been excluded from her country's Olympic team following a remark about African immigrants posted on her Twitter website.
The Hellenic Olympic Committee announced the decision despite an apology by the athlete, triple jumper Voula Papachristou.
In a statement on its website www.hoc.gr, the Hellenic Olympic Committee said: "Following the decision of the Hellenic Delegations' Administration Board, the triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou, is suspended after her comments that go against to the values and ideals of Olympism.
"The athlete is not in London and was expected just before the beginning of the athletics events."
In a message published earlier on her Facebook site, Papachristou apologised for her remarks.
She wrote: "I would like to express my heartfelt apologies for the unfortunate and tasteless joke I published on my personal Twitter account. I am very sorry and ashamed for the negative responses I triggered, since I never wanted to offend anyone, or to encroach human rights.
"My dream is connected to the Olympic Games and I could not possibly participate if I did not respect their values. Therefore, I could never believe in discrimination between human beings and races.
"I would like to apologize to all my friends and fellow athletes, who I may have insulted or shamed, the National Team, as well as the people and companies who support my athletic career. Finally, I would like to apologize to my coach and my family."
I think her apology is hogwash. She tweeted what she did about african immigrants because it is what she ( if the news is anything to go by) and a number of her contrymen feel and believe about Black people..If she had stop to think that her racists cooments/values would have been exposed to 'light' she would never have tweeted them.
Now she is caught out, she suddenly believes in the olympic values and principles and the fact that she didn't want offend anyone ( is this where we bring out the violins) as she is obviously courting the sympathy vote. You make racist jokes whilst in the process of competing with the worlds best altheletes, a number of who are Black and you didn't think it would offend; Please, that in itself shows the level of disdain this woman has for her Black competitors.She must think they are really thick that her ' jokes' would not in any way offend them .
The only genuine thing she has said in her so called apology is that it is her dream to compete in the Olympics, nothing else, the rest is hogwash. She certainly is not sorry. If she is the sky's normal colour is bottle green.
well well yet again the racist card thrown into the ring.
couple of things here folks.
1. racism will never go away EVER..
2. As long as there's haters there'll be racism.
3. so what ever happened to freedom of speach?
4. how is it ok to come on here in other threads and post sweaty sock = jock or any other country broken down to suit peoples posts.
am not saying she's right but seeing how it was aimed at coloureds again the BANG major race issue.
deal with it sticks and stones blah blah blah.
been called far worse from people my own colour.
but then again been called even worse from other nationalities as well.
so for you PC lets hug everyone brigade and be pals never gonna happen, but least it gives you a 2 min spell at venting the same bile back at those who first posted it.
your not any better yourselves.
rant over.
still no idea what she said but here is another case of why athletes like football players and any other pro sportsman /woman should not have a twitter account. too many times now we see them in trouble for posting (out of context) jokes,
stop twitter then easy.
