Former Euroleague Referee Director Drawn Into Investigation

A probe into match manipulation and bribery allegations in Greece has reached a new name. Richard Stokes, Euroleague Basketball's former senior referee director, appears in documents in the case.

According to judicial documents, the case covers a ten-year period between 2016 and 2026. The documents link Stokes with Greek Basketball Federation president Vangelis Liolios. The investigation has six suspects, including Liolios and some referees who worked in Euroleague. The suspects are accused of bribery and improper interference in around 50 matches.

According to the file, in June 2021 Stokes was asked to arrange a three-week stay at the Costa Navarino resort complex. A club official relayed this request. The request was made at a meeting with Liolios, Ilias Koromilas and Giorgos Mavraganis, who are named as suspects. The accommodation cost was recorded as 17,000 euros, and it is stated that Liolios paid the bill. Liolios was running the Promitheas club at the time and was elected federation president two months later.

According to prosecutors, the purpose of this payment was to give Liolios's team an advantage and to support referee Vasiliki Tsaroucha's appointment to continental cup matches. Records show that Tsaroucha had visited the same resort complex a year earlier. Booking details were reportedly sent to Koromilas by email, and it is said he stayed at the same place at the same time as Stokes.

Stokes served as Euroleague's referee director from March 2015 to June 2023. The investigation is ongoing, and the allegations in the file have not yet been proven in court.