Cypriot leaders to attend Paris Olympics

President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Athena Michaelides will attend the Paris Olympic Games, in support of the Cypriot Olympic delegation which so far numbers eleven athletes, delegates at an event organized on Friday by the Cyprus Olympic Committee (COC) and OPAP heard.

President Christodoulides will attend the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic games to be held on July 26.

So far, the Cypriot delegation in the Paris Olympic Games numbers 11 athletes, six of whom will be making their Olympic debut.

During the event held last Friday, the President, accompanied by Minister Michaelies, the COC President, George Chrysostomou and the Hellenic Olympic Committee President and IOC member, Spyros Kapralos, presented the flag of Cyprus to the Paris Olympic Games. The flag was brought to the ceremony by emblematic Cypriot athletes who participated in Olympic Games in the past.

Addressing the athletes present at the ceremony, Christodoulides said he will be present at the Olympic Games and will take pride for the Cypriot participants. “I have no doubt that by representing our country you will honour our flag and will become the best ambassadors of the country with you ethos and performance,” the President stressed.

Speaking on behalf of the athletes, road cyclist Andri Christoforou, said “all athletes pledge to do our utmost our best to honour our flag and make you proud.”

During the ceremony, President Christodoulides honoured Costas Papacostas, Cyprus' first flag bearer in the Olympics, and more specifically during the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.