In mourning the Greek sank gymnastics After the news of the death of Thanassis Kapnidis, who had led him to John Melissanidis and Demosthenes Tambakou in winning the top at the Olympics.
Thanasis Kapnidis had a decisive contribution to the launch of Greek gymnastics to the world elite, as coach of Ioannis Melissanidis, with whom he won the first medals of Greece in the world and European championships, as well as his Olympic Gold.
At the same time, he was the technician who led Demosthenes Tambakos in his first steps, and after the establishment of the Hellenic Gymnastics Federation he served as a National Men’s and Women’s National Coach from 1997 to 2000, as well as Chairman of the Technical Committee.
In addition, Mr. Kapnidis pioneered the struggle for the establishment of the Independent EGO. In the mid -1990s, but also in Thanassis Vassiliadis’ efforts for a new start to the Federation in 2007.
He was President of AES. Northern Greece Gymnastics from 2006-2007 and executive of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Republic. From 2007 to 2012, among other things, the office of the First Vice -President in the Federation.
“The man who paved the way for us to dream of Olympic and world medals left for the big journey, the family of Greek gymnastics today is poorer. Thank you very much Thanassis Kapnidis for all that you have generously offered us,” he wrote on Facebook.