Takis Tsoukalas
{{Short description|Greek television personality (born 1958)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Takis Mavrakis Tsoukalas
| image =
| image_size = 200px
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Panagiotis Tsoukalas
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1958|03|22}}
| birth_place = Spata, Attica, Greece
| known_for = Fan of Olympiacos
| opponents =
| occupation = Television personality
| years_active = 1999–present
}}
Panagiotis (Takis) Tsoukalas ({{langx|el|Παναγιώτης (Τάκης) Τσουκαλάς}}, born 22 March 1958) is a Greek presenter of fan TV shows.
Early life
He was born and raised in Spata and then moved to Kaminia in Piraeus, where he still lives today. He was a football player of Aittitos Spata.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportime.gr/viral/o-takis-tsoykalas-podosfairistis-me-prasina-pic/|title=Ο Τάκης Τσουκαλάς ποδοσφαιριστής με πράσινα! (pic)|date=2018-10-20|website=sportime.gr|language=el}}
He is an organized fan of Olympiacos. The show entitled "GOODBYE" ({{langx|el|ΑΝΤΕ ΓΕΙΑ}}) that it presents, has as its main theme the commentary on various sports in which Olympiacos competes, with an emphasis on football. Initially, the show premiered in 1999 under the name "Gate 7". His co-presenter is his best man Akis Vardalakis, also an organized fan of Olympiacos.
After his TV show on June 16, 2015, he was attacked by unknown men with iron fists outside his home in Kaminia.{{cite web|url=https://www.ant1news.gr/Sports/article/411097/dolofoniki-epithesi-ston-taki-tsoykala|title=Δολοφονική επίθεση στον Τάκη Τσουκαλά|date=2015-06-16|publisher=ΑΝΤ1|language=el}} Accordingly, in April 2017, he was attacked with a hammer by a 36-year-old man, as a result of which he was hospitalized.{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.gr/2017/04/25/eidiseis-koinwnia-thyma-epithesis-o-takis-tsoykalas-ton-xtypisan-me-sfyri-sto-kefali-_n_16227678.html|title=Θύμα επίθεσης ο Τάκης Τσουκαλάς. Τον χτύπησαν με σφυρί στο κεφάλι|work=HuffPost Greece|date=2017-04-25|language=el-GR}}
Criticism and litigation
In November 2018, he commented with expressions that were characterized as racist by the Greek{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.gr/sports/story/154703/sygklonizei-to-minyma-toy-gianni-antetokoynmpo-gia-ti-ratsistiki-epithesi-ston-adelfo-toy-thanasi|title=Συγκλονίζει το μήνυμα του Γιάννη Αντετοκούνμπο για τη ρατσιστική επίθεση στον αδελφό του Θανάση|date=2018-11-15|website=CNN.gr|language=el|accessdate=2019-10-23}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsit.gr/ellada/adianoito-ratsistiko-paralirima-tsoukala-kata-antetokounmpo-video/2655716/|title=Αδιανόητο ρατσιστικό παραλήρημα Τσουκαλά κατά Αντετοκούνμπο. - video|work=Newsit.gr|date=2018-11-10|language=el-GR}} and foreign{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/sports/nba-milwaukee-bucks-giannis-antetokounmpo-speaks-out-against-tv-presenter-who-racially-abused-brother-thanasis-5557651.html|title=NBA: Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo speaks out against TV presenter who racially abused brother Thanasis - Firstpost|website=www.firstpost.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Basket/Actualites/Giannis-antetokounmpo-s-en-prend-a-un-journaliste-grec-qui-a-traite-son-frere-de-singe/959343|title=Giannis Antetokounmpo s'en prend à un journaliste grec qui a traité son frère de «singe» - Basket|website=L'Équipe|language=fr}} media through his broadcast against Thanasis Antetokounmpo whom he called, among other things, a "monkey".{{Cite news|url=https://www.vice.com/el/article/zmdv7a/mhnythria-anafora-kata-takh-tsoykala-gia-ratsistiko-paralhrhma-enantion-antetokoynmpo|title=Μηνυτήρια Αναφορά Κατά Τάκη Τσουκαλά για Ρατσιστικό Παραλήρημα Εναντίον Αντετοκούνμπο|work=Vice|date=2018-11-11|language=el}} The statements caused strong reactions from the Greek National Council for Radio and Television.{{Cite news|url=https://www.efsyn.gr/ellada/dikaiosyni/171701_se-esr-kai-areio-pago-ratsistiko-sholio-tsoykala|title=Σε ΕΣΡ και Άρειο Πάγο το ρατσιστικό σχόλιο Τσουκαλά|work=Η Εφημερίδα των Συντακτών|date=2018-11-12|language=el}} Also, a lawsuit was filed by Panagiotis Dimitras, on behalf of the Hellenic Observatory of the Helsinki Agreements, in the context of the control of racist crimes.{{Cite news|url=https://www.alfavita.gr/koinonia/273309_minysi-ston-tsoykala-gia-ratsistiko-paralirima-enantia-ston-th-antetokoynmpo|title=Μήνυση στον Τσουκαλά για το ρατσιστικό παραλήρημα ενάντια στον Θ. Αντετοκούνμπο|language=el}}