The testimony of Greek Basketball Federation (EOK) President Vangelis Liolios before an examining magistrate in the Basketgate match-fixing scandal concluded after three and a half hours, with Liolios denying all charges. The indictment covers 49 basketball matches allegedly connected to match manipulation.
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At the time of writing, Giorgos Mavraganis — a businessman and close associate of the accused — is currently delivering his own testimony. Once both defendants have completed their testimonies, the examining magistrate and prosecutor will determine the next steps regarding their criminal treatment.
Basketgate: The 49 basketball matches listed in the indictment
According to witness testimonies and evidence included in the case file, the two defendants allegedly manipulated basketball matches across all divisions. A total of 49 games are included in the EOK president’s indictment, and the examining magistrate has already sent a formal request to the Gaming Supervision and Control Commission to determine whether any of these matches were connected to domestic or international betting organizations.
The first match on the list took place in June 2016, and the last in April 2026 — spanning a full decade of alleged activity, during which specific referees appear to have blown the whistle on command. The majority of the matches involve Promitheas Patras, the basketball club that Vangelis Liolios once led as its administrative head. The EOK president has long been known for his deep passion and love for the club, and had “officially” transferred his shares in the team in order to be eligible to assume the federation’s presidency. Liolios had previously commented that he trusted certain referees who were capable of handling high-stakes and critical games — meaning referees who could make decisive calls in derby matches where the outcome carries significant weight in the league standings. Two of those referees, Vasiliki Tsaroucha and Petros Papapetrou, were also arrested in connection with the case. Following his testimony on Friday, Papapetrou was remanded in pre-trial detention.
What the EOK president’s defense team is arguing
Liolios’ defense team maintains that he is the victim of a carefully orchestrated conspiracy and that the case file contains no evidence directly linking him to match-fixing. The defense has also strongly challenged the credibility of the two key prosecution witnesses — a referee and a basketball official — who came forward and provided information to prosecutors.
The round of testimonies will conclude on Monday, when three accused referees — Vasiliki Tsekoura, Ilias Koromylas, and Tasos Piloidis — are scheduled to appear before the magistrate.
