By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Zack Wright read all about Panionios’ intention to claim their rights by going to FIBA’s arbitrational court, insisting they have a signed contact with the player who was announced by Spartak Saint Petersburg, and he give us his side of the story.
“First of all, I would like to say I have no problem with Mr. Lianos, the president of Panionios. Now, let me get the record straight. First of all, I never signed the contract and the contract was forged. Second, if you look at the contract, the one that’s on Eurohoops.net, my signature and Thanos Koukouravas’ signature are both in blue ink and similar in pattern and curves.
And if you think that doesn’t mean anything, well I will tell you it means a lot. If I signed this contract then that means, I would have had to sign it in person on the day of February 3 2012, because it’s in blue ink. Something that was not possible because I was in Rethymno and Thanos Koukouravas was in Athens, on this date. The entire year I saw him two times, once in Thessaloniki in the beginning of the season and one when I met with Rethymno’s president, in Athens, when we talked about coming back next year. This was around late February, early March.
I fax every contract I have ever signed. If I would have faxed him this one, my signature would be in black writing like the president’s signature, because colour doesn’t show up when you fax something. And he should have a receipt of the fax date. Now, if I would have scanned the contract to him, then he should have it in his email to show proof of the contract sent from my email address.
The 5th of July 2012 , which was last week, we (me and my agent, Scott Nichols ) asked from Thanos Koukouravas to send a copy of this so called contract that I signed and he sent a contract without my signature and without his signature and stamp. I forwarded it to you, with the exact date for proof. If I had a copy of the contract with my signature why would I ask him to send me a copy? It doesn’t make sense. Now all of a sudden there is my signature on it and his signature and stamp?
Truthfully, if I signed the contract then I would have no problem playing for the team. It’s a great club with history and they pay on time. During that time I was seriously thinking about joining the club for the next year, but lots of teams and agents were calling me and telling me not to sign early, because of the great year I was having. The plan was to keep this contract open, just in case something would have happened. Like a backup contract.
I just want to say this issue could have been resolved a long time ago, when I asked from my Greek agent, Thanos Koukouravas, to notify Panionios’ president I was not interested in the deal anymore and to look elsewhere. But he took it upon himself to lead the president on and try to make money for himself. Now, he is doing whatever he can to prevent himself for taking the blame. He can put a stop to this entire conflict by admitting that I never signed the contract”.