Athens – January 29, 2016 – The Hellenic Olympic Committee annual Athletes Event had very special attendees this year, with a three-day visit by an IOC delegation headed by President Thomas Bach, accompanied by Honorary President Jacques Rogge and EOC President Patrick Hickey.

During the HOC Athlete Event ceremony, the President of the EOC presented an award to Spyros Gianniotis, 10k open water swimming bronze medallist at the world championships in Kazan, who has also qualified for the RIO 2016 Olympics.

In turn, Hickey received the Hellenic Award for the success of the inaugural Baku 2015 European Games, and his support to the HOC, presented to him by George Marsellos, Vice-President of the Hellenic Olympians Association.

The highlight of the IOC trip to Greece was the visit to the Refugee Centre near Athens. In a symbolic gesture, the IOC President also announced that on the initiative of the HOC, the Greek section of the Olympic torch relay would come to the refugee centre, with the torch carried by a refugee.
Referring to the potential refugee athletes that the IOC is currently identifying, President Bach announced that this ‘team’ would march behind the Olympic Flag at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Rio.