 The Greek baseball squad includes just two home-based players |
The president of the Greek Baseball Federation has claimed that the Olympic team cannot afford to fly home from its training camp in America. "At this moment we don't have money for our team to come to participate in the Olympics," said Panos Mitsiopoulos.
Mitsiopoulos claimed the federation had received just one third of the �200,000 promised for Olympic preparations.
"This is happening with all the (Greek Olympic) teams. All the federations are complaining," he added.
It is the latest setback to affect the Greek baseball side after coach Dimitris Goussios threatened to resign.
Goussios was angry that the 24-man squad picked by the Hellenic Amateur Baseball Federation contained just two home-based players.
The Greek team was created with the help of the Baltimore Orioles' Greek-American owner Peter Angelos.
And the majority of the places in the squad went to players from the United States and Canada with Greek heritage.
"I feel very bitter. I've been used and I feel insulted as a person and as a coach," said Goussios, who claimed he had not been consulted.
"I'll fight this up until the last minute."
MMIX
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