Former minister, footballer Ouranios Ioannides dies (update 2)

Former education minister and chairman of the Cyprus Olympic Committee (COC) Ouranios Ioannides died on Thursday, aged 75.

Ioannides, who was a Disy MP from 1996 to 1999 when he was appointed education minister in Clerides’ government, was also a sportsman and served on various committees including the COC between 2008 and 2016.

President Nicos Anastasiades said in a tweet that Ioannides was “a dear friend but also a personality that left his indelible stamp on the political, educational and sports affairs of the country.”

Ioannides was born on December 22, 1944 in Neapolis, a suburb of Nicosia, and is the brother of Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou. He worked as a teacher of physiology, biology and chemistry from 1971 to 1986 in secondary schools in Cyprus. From 1986 to 1992 he worked at the Cyprus Pedagogical Academy as a teacher of biology and science.

Over the years he was a footballer at Olympiada Neapolis (1959-1960, 1975-1977), Kyrenia FC (1961), Apoel (1961-63), Iraklis Thessaloniki (1963) and in the football team of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the University of Thessaloniki (1963-1968). He was also a high-jumper.

He was married and had two sons.

Political parties, football clubs, sports associations and individuals expressed sorrow over Ioannides’ death.

The COC said Ioannides had dedicated his life to the progress of Cypriot society and especially education and sports. During his COC presidency, Cyprus celebrated taking its first and only Olympic medal, a silver won by Pavlos Kontides at the London Olympics in 2012, it said.

The Cyprus Basketball Federation said on Thursday that Ioannides was “a historic persona both in the political and sports world of Cyprus to which he has greatly contributed.”

To honour his memory, the education ministry announced that flags at the ministry buildings and all schools would fly at half-mast from Friday to Saturday when his funeral will take place.

The funeral will be held at the Agiou Constantinou and Agias Elenis church in Nicosia at 1.30pm on Saturday.

The state will cover the funeral expenses. Instead of wreaths, the family has requested donations are made to the Student Welfare Fund.

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