Costas Aslanidis
Encyclopedia
Costas Aslanidis was a Lieutenant Colonel and the Secretary General of Athletics during the rule of the Greek military junta of 1967-1974
.
Aslanidis was a controversial figure throughout his tenure as Secretary General. On January 30, 1968, in a speech at the Alexandrion Melathron of Thessaloniki
, he alleged that corruption was rife in Greek sports. He mentioned that Panathinaikos
had paid off referees and linesmen, that Aegaleo FC defender, Tzekos Balarinis, had accepted a 7,000 drachmas bribe to throw his team's game and that Ethnikos' star goalkeeper, Kostas Vallianos, had also accepted bribes to throw his team's games. Aslanidis went further and blasted PAOK
forward, Giorgos Koudas
, for wanting to leave his team for Olympiakos.
Aslanidis imposed complex rules for transfers in the Greek League: No player could transfer within his own division and no player could transfer to a higher division. However, Aslanidis made exceptions to his own rules, most noteworthy of which was the transfer of Aspida Xanthi forward, Antonis Antoniadis
, to Panathinaikos
.
Aslanidis was instrumental in having the Champions of Cyprus
play in the Greek Alpha Ethniki between the years 1968 and 1974. Olympiakos Nicosia FC were the first champions to participate and APOEL the last. The latter club was the only Cypriot team not to be relegated.
Throughout his tenure Aslanidis insisted that athletes be well-groomed and clean-shaven. Aslanidis fled to Italy following the collapse of the Junta
in 1974 and then moved to Brazil. Later, he returned to Greece where he died.
Greek military junta of 1967-1974
The Greek military junta of 1967–1974, alternatively "The Regime of the Colonels" , or in Greece "The Junta", and "The Seven Years" are terms used to refer to a series of right-wing military governments that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974...
.
Aslanidis was a controversial figure throughout his tenure as Secretary General. On January 30, 1968, in a speech at the Alexandrion Melathron of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, he alleged that corruption was rife in Greek sports. He mentioned that Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
had paid off referees and linesmen, that Aegaleo FC defender, Tzekos Balarinis, had accepted a 7,000 drachmas bribe to throw his team's game and that Ethnikos' star goalkeeper, Kostas Vallianos, had also accepted bribes to throw his team's games. Aslanidis went further and blasted PAOK
PAOK FC
P.A.O.K. F.C. is a Greek association football club based in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the largest supported football club in Macedonia.PAOK FC is the football department of Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans , a multi-sport club. Since its formation in 1926 the football club...
forward, Giorgos Koudas
Giorgos Koudas
Giorgos Koudas is a retired attacking football midfielder. Nicknamed Μεγαλέξανδρος of Greek football, he is considered one of the best Greeks ever to play the game, and the last of a marvelous generation, including Mimis Domazos, Thomas Mavros and others.Koudas was a virtuoso of the ball, but...
, for wanting to leave his team for Olympiakos.
Aslanidis imposed complex rules for transfers in the Greek League: No player could transfer within his own division and no player could transfer to a higher division. However, Aslanidis made exceptions to his own rules, most noteworthy of which was the transfer of Aspida Xanthi forward, Antonis Antoniadis
Antonis Antoniadis
Antonis Antoniadis is one of the great goal scorers of Greek and European football in the post-war era, scoring about 187 goals in a career which spanned 22 years. He started his career playing for Xanthi before moving on to Panathinaikos...
, to Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
.
Aslanidis was instrumental in having the Champions of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
play in the Greek Alpha Ethniki between the years 1968 and 1974. Olympiakos Nicosia FC were the first champions to participate and APOEL the last. The latter club was the only Cypriot team not to be relegated.
Throughout his tenure Aslanidis insisted that athletes be well-groomed and clean-shaven. Aslanidis fled to Italy following the collapse of the Junta
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
in 1974 and then moved to Brazil. Later, he returned to Greece where he died.