Xenia Prezerakou Reacts to Dimitris Oikonomou’s Controversial Statement

Xenia Prezerakou, sister of renowned athlete Erika Prezerakou, publicly reacted against a statement made by journalist Dimitris Oikonomou regarding people with disabilities. In 2021, Xenia lost her daughter to a rare form of cancer and responded to a SKAI report on the tragic accident in Vary on March 9th. Oikonomou initially stated, ‘Beyond the dead, dozens or even hundreds of disabled individuals will spend their lives in wheelchairs. Imagine yourself in a wheelchair; perhaps it’s better to be dead than to be tied down from morning to night.’ On Tuesday (March 11, 2025), Xenia Prezerakou posted on Instagram: ‘A few months after my little girl fell ill and could no longer walk, she became dependent on a wheelchair. She was disabled during her last months of life, and I witnessed the stares and avoidance others showed her. I saw firsthand what someone goes through when they are disabled or have a loved one in a wheelchair. Yesterday, it was said on TV that it’s better to be dead than disabled. I can’t stop crying. How much I would give for my daughter to have remained in her wheelchair. We would have found ways for her to dance, love, laugh, and live. Now that she is dead, none of that is possible. No, it’s not better to be dead than disabled! This is shameful to hear,’ wrote Xenia. The comment by Oikonomou sparked strong reactions on social media, with many users condemning his words and some demanding intervention from the Hellenic National Commission for Human Rights. Oikonomou later expressed his respect for people with disabilities, adding, ‘If I upset anyone, I apologize.’