Voukefalas, an amateur soccer club in the Greek city of Larissa, has found salvation in the unlikeliest of places.
A brothel owner has become Voukefalas' newest sponsor, rescuing the cash-strapped club from oblivion.
Voukefalas will wear pink practice jerseys bearing the names of two brothels, "Villa Erotica" and "Soula's House of History," according to the Associated Press.
"Unfortunately, amateur football has been abandoned by almost everyone," Voukefalas chairman (and backup goalkeeper) Yiannis Batziolas said. "It's a question of survival."
"[The players] didn't believe it in the beginning," he said. "But when they saw the shirts printed, they thought it was funny."
The recession which threatens to drive Greece into bankruptcy has taken a heavy toll on the country's sports clubs. Greece's Amateur Athletics Federation has lost a great deal of funding during the six years of economic hardship, forcing many amateur clubs to seek other sources of financial support.
Voukefalas' sponsorship will see brothel owner Soula Alevridou pay a reported 10,000 euros ($13,120) per year to keep the club afloat. The agreement isn't an illicit one, as postitution is legal in Greece, but the league has banned Voukefalas from wearing their sponsored jerseys during games. The club is appealing the gameday ban, but the outcome won't affect Alevridou's benevolence.
"Here is where it all begins, with amateur sport," Alevridou said. "It's where the talent is bred. I am a Greek woman, and I love my country."
On the field, Voukefalas is going through a rough patch. It has lost its last four games, and Alevridou is doing what she can to help the players improve. She offered players, some of whom are students, waiters, bartenders and pizza delivery guys, "a special time" if they won their last game.
That didn't happen last weekend, but it's only a matter of time before Voukefalas wins again.
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Photo via Twitter/@Cosminpasca
