Following an honorary invitation from the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria, Mr Bill Papastergiadis, had the pleasure of meeting the team from the Hellenic Police Athletic Union in person, and in particular its President, Mr George Tzatzakis. They spoke at length about the outstanding sporting achievements of Greek police officers, as well as the strong spirit of camaraderie, philotimo and volunteerism that characterises them. With these qualities, they are leading ambassadors for Greece abroad, and we look forward with great enthusiasm to their visit to Australia next year. 

The Hellenic Police Athletic Union proudly supports police officers in their sporting activities. It is an organisation guided by its President, George Tzatzakis. George works tirelessly to build bridges between police officers around the world. He is the current President of the European Police Sports Union and Vice President at a global level. This is a truly remarkable achievement, as he is highly respected internationally. 

George never rests on his laurels. He continually seeks funding for members and their travel so they can participate in competitions overseas. The achievements of the Hellenic Police are remarkable, including being crowned World Champions in Baseball after defeating the United States at the recent World Police Games. 

Speaking about the Union, the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Mr Bill Papastergiadis, said: “As we approach the World Police Games in Perth in 2027, our Greek diaspora in Australia must support these outstanding athletes. I met George when he first visited Australia a few years ago. We have developed a strong bond, as I have seen firsthand his efforts to bring people together and unite police officers under the banner of friendship and teamwork.” 

Mr Papastergiadis added: “The generous spirit of these police officers, who volunteer their time, was clear when I visited their offices. I saw how proud they were of their work and service, and how important it was to them to build bridges globally. They are leading ambassadors for Greece and I am proud to call them my friends.” 

Mr Papastergiadis concluded: “At a recent dinner, we spoke at length about the challenges facing Greece, as well as issues relating to crime. The dinner was attended by a number of current and former leaders of the Police. They all spoke with humility and dedication about their work as police officers. The camaraderie was felt everywhere, and they made us feel part of this family.”