February 15 – A racist scandal has rocked Greek football with the Greek prosecutor’s office bringing charges against the president of FC Volos, Achilles Beos (pictured), and the club, following Beos’ racist behavior during the Greek Super League match against Kifisia FC, which ended in a goalless draw.
Beos, who is also mayor of Volos, racially insulted the home player Andrews Tetteh, calling him a “monkey”. Hours after the game, Kifisia published a video, in which the remarks of Achilles Beos can be clearly heard.
That triggered an investigation by the Disciplinary Commission of the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO), while two days after the incident at the Michalis Kritikopoulos Stadium, Tetteh was summoned to the Attica Police Headquarters for his testimony.
“The Head of Disciplinary Prosecutions for Football Offenses, Prosecutor Konstantinos Spyropoulos, brought Disciplinary Prosecution against: a) Achilleas Beos and b) PAE Volos NPS. The Disciplinary Prosecution is brought because on 11-2-2024 in Kaisariani Attica, where the football match between the teams PAE Kifisia – PAE Volos NPS was held, Achilles Beos as an official of the team PAE Volos NPS he committed a contemptuous and racist act against another because of his color, and specifically during the above match he called the football player of the Kifisia team Andrews Tetteh a ‘monkey’,” reads the EPO statement.
Tetteh expressed his gratitude for the many messages of support he has received, saying: “I have received many messages and it has helped me a lot psychologically. Thank you very much for the messages I haven’t answered. And now the world must learn not to be afraid to speak today. Today me, tomorrow it could be someone else. With everyone’s help we can change many things that are taken for granted and should not be happening in our society.”
Volos reacted by accusing the Greek Minister of Sports, Yiannis Vroutsis. of “interference”.
“We express our surprise and disappointment regarding the strong interest of Minister Yiannis Vroutsis to intervene and refer the ‘monkey’ case of the Kifissia football player to the DAEB (Permanent Committee for Combating Violence) and even, according to our information, to provoke the intervention of the Sports Prosecutor,” said the club in a statement.
“Really, for the sake of which democratic sensibility and function does a minister intervene to indicate and impose on institutions and judicial officers how to perform their duties? For what reasons does he consider that he must intervene and influence the decisions of these bodies, ignoring the honesty, impartiality and integrity that should characterize the exercise of his powers?
“Mr. Minister, unfortunately you have disappointed… we hope at least that the prosecution against us will not be the only work you will have to show when you leave this position. Such actions and behaviors to influence institutions and functionaries belong to a black, fortunately distant, past and not to a democratic state,” said Volos FC.
Contact the writer of this story, Alkesander Krassimirov, at moc.l1713948175labto1713948175ofdlr1713948175owedi1713948175sni@o1713948175fni1713948175