The President of Hellenic Republic, Prokopios Pavlopoulos on Wednesday honoured the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach during a ceremony at the Presidential Mansion.
Pavlopoulos awarded Bach the Grand Cross of the Order of the Phoenix in acknowledgement of his services to the Olympic movement.
"I deliver to you the Grand Cross of the Order of the Phoenix as a symbolic but also tangible acknowledgment of your iconic services during your term as President of the IOC, with the hope that your term will be renewed in Athens in 2021. We Greeks, the historic gatekeepers of the long tradition of Ancient Olympia and of the Olympic Games, recognise your stable dedication to the Olympic Spirit and Ideals. During your term, both the ceremony for the lighting of the flame and the organisation of the Olympic Games were held with full and exemplary respect for the values and principles they radiate through the years to all humanity, the Olympic Spirit and the Olympic Ideals. You can be certain that in this way your presidency of the IOC offers great services to Peace, to Democracy and civilisation and, ultimately, to humanity."
