On the 8th April 1998, at the Olympic Stadium, twelve thousand spectators gave a standing ovation to sportsmanship, civilization and humanity.
Panathinaikos and Red Star, two great teams, competed in a basketball game full of exciting moments, whose proceeds were destined to help the children maimed by mines in Bosnia.
Young and old from all the corners of Athens sent an important message to the world : BAN MINES WORLDWIDE, AND HELP THEIR VICTIMS
The organisers of the event, Mr. Theophilos Rozenberg, president of Doctors of the World, and Mrs. Marianna V. Vardinoyannis, president of the Foundation for the Child and the Family, the Under-Secretary for Sport Mr. Andreas Fouras, under whose aegis this match was held, and the Mayor of Athens, Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos, welcomed the spectators with brief speeches and underlined the significance of their help and support for the victims of mines.
The game ended in favour of Panathinaikos thanks to a three pointer in the penultimate second of the game. Mr. Pavlos Giannakopoulos, president of Panathinaikos Basketball club, visibly moved, declared that the game honoured his club particularly. His feelings were seconded by the representative of Red Star, Mr. Zoran Milic, by the club’s president and by all the staff of this great team which came to Athens specifically for this game.
Thanks to the journalist Mr. Pavlos Tsimas, the game was aired live on Mega Channel, and a great number of journalists were present in the Stadium. Golden sponsor: Chipita, silver sponsor: 3E, while smaller contributions were made by Hochtief and Novartis, and Corpoline donated artificial limbs.
From this occasion a total of $10,000 was raised and will be made available for the recovery of maimed children in Bosnia.