Alexis Kougias Αλέξης Κούγιας |
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Born |
Petroupoli, Greece |
November 4, 1951
Nationality | Greek |
Alma mater |
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Athens, Greece |
Occupation | Lawyer |
Spouse(s) | Evi Vatidou (2006–2015) |
Children | 2 |
Alexios "Alexis" Kougias (born 1951 in Athens) is a Greek penologist - lawyer, ex-football player and football administrator. He is currently the Major Shareholder of AE Larissa FC.
He studied law at the University of Thessaloniki and at the University of Athens, from where he graduated. Ηe first claimed publicity in 1978, as an advocate of notorious criminal Vangelis Rochamis. He has also practiced criminal law in known cases, including "the trial of Satanists", the trial of Argyris Saliarelis, the trial Express Samina disaster, the trial of the terrorist organizations [[Revolutionary People's Struggle ELA]] and 17 November Group and many others. In December 2008 he took over the defense of the policeman who fatally shot 15 year old Alexis Grigoropoulos. According to his statements, he has taken 11,500 trials, including 5,000 felonies. In 2005, he assaulted in a public place the activist Gregoris Vallianatos because of an earlier personal conflict.
He started playing football for Aris Petroupolis at the age of 18 in the second Division. He has also played for Olympiakos Loutraki. In 1973, he was transferred to Iraklis Thessaloniki and was called in the Greek National Amateur team, but in the same year a car accident left him 18 months out of the fields. In 1978, he returned to Olympiakos Loutraki and later at Pelops Kiato.
Alongside the lawyer activity, he involved with sports. In 1997 and 2004 he was the president of AEK Athens, for short periods while occasionally he was the president of Korinthos, Aris Petroupolis, Veria, PAS Giannena, Lamia and Panahaiki. Also he has served Iraklis as a representative in the EPAE committee. In late 2008 he took over the presidency of Panachaiki 2005 and in May 2009 he acquired the majority stake by Kostas Makris. As a sports agent he was involved in many episodes in which, among others, he has beaten the match referee and the opponents coach.
On Wednesday, January 19, 2011 the appearance of Kougias outside the stadium of Panahaiki in Patras, created tension when fans of the team inflicted against him. In the press conference, Kougias insulted the local journalist Christos Verganelakis and on Thursday, January 20, the Union of Journalists Peloponnese-Epirus-Islands requested the intervention of the Chief Prosecutor of the First Instance Court of Patras on the matter.