He is a man who can boast of health and extraordinary physical condition as a high-performance athlete, but a life experience marked Nikos Pappas, basketball player for Panathinaikos who has decided join the wheelchair team from the greek club despite having no disability.
Who is Nikos Pappas?
Motivated by “the love and dedication” that the players in wheelchairs show in each training session, of which Pappas has been an eyewitness for belonging to the same institution, the 32-year-old veteran decided it was time to fully support themTherefore, in an interview with the media Relief explained his decision.
“A few years ago, as a Panathinaikos player, we used to see these guys roll across the field in their wheelchairs to go train. Since then, I’ve been curious to see how they train and so I stole some time from them and participated in some of their training.”
Can you play wheelchair basketball without being disabled?
What at first was curiosity turned into strong bonds of friendship for Nikos Pappaswho this season has only played one game with the first team of the PanathinaikosThis is also partly the reason for his decision to contribute where he can feel most valued.
“At one point they asked me to watch one of their matches and I realized the passion and love they feel for this sport. It was something that moved me and impressed me a lot. With the passage of time I began a friendship with some of the players, I decided to help them with some things and they suggested that I join the team. I gladly accepted.”
The Greek league for basketball with disabilities It offers the possibility of having two players on each team’s roster who do not suffer from physical paralysis during matches. That’s where Pappas comes in, who takes this new turn in his career with great humor.
“Lately, as I’m more on the bench than on the court, it’s more familiar to me sitting down, so I haven’t noticed it much.”
