Football family torn apart by estate claim

A woman from Athens has come forward after the tragic death of a beloved Sydney football figure in an attempt to gain a portion of his estate.

EXCLUSIVE

The family of a football legend has been left reeling after a Greek woman claimed she was in a relationship with the 55-year-old before he died of cancer in 2023, launching legal action to gain a portion of his estate.

Athens woman Angela Bardi told the NSW Supreme Court last week that she met George Giannaros, who was the former Sydney Olympic FC President, in Greece in 2018 before the pair engaged in a relationship.

The court heard how Mr Giannaros transferred approximately $337,770 to Ms Bardi over the last three years of his life, which is not in dispute.

Ms Bardi was 16 years younger than Mr Giannaros.

George Giannaros’s wife Kelly, whom he married in 1995. Picture: Instagram

Ms Giannaros was the sole beneficiary of the estate. Picture: Facebook

George Giannaros’s wife Kelly, whom he married in 1995, was the sole beneficiary of his estate.

Ms Bardi claimed Mr Giannaros promised to buy her an apartment in Athens and put in an urgent application to receive funds from his estate to immediately purchase the property.

NSW Justice Francois Kunc dismissed the matter on a number of grounds, including the fact there was no cash currently available from the estate.

Anthony Albanese, Sydney Olympic captain Anthony Doumanis and George Giannaros (right) at Belmore Sportsground. Picture: Supplied

“This is a claim between a widow in what on the evidence before me from her point of view appears to have been an entirely happy 28 year marriage, and another person who on the evidence appears to have had what Ms Lowson described, with some justification, as a clandestine relationship with Mr Giannaros at intermittent periods over five years,” Justice Kunc said.

“In the days before he died, Mr Giannaros made a will which left his estate to Ms Giannaros and made no provision for Ms Bardi, notwithstanding the circumstances which I will next shortly relate.

“That he did so is in itself an important piece of evidence in ascertaining the nature of the relationship between Mr Giannaros and Ms Bardi.”

The rest of the matter will be heard at a future hearing in the NSW Supreme Court.

Wife’s response

In court documents obtained by news.com.au, Ms Giannaros’ lawyer Patricia Lowson submitted to the court Ms Bardi was simply an “occasional lover” of Mr Giannaros.

“The association between the plaintiff and the deceased rises no higher than a dalliance,” the lawyer states.

Ms Lowson submitted that Ms Bardi and Mr Giannaros could not have been in a defacto relationship as they did not share a common residence.

“The duration of the relationship, such as it was, occurred when the deceased

visited Greece. The total number of days that the deceased spent in Greece

between 2019 and 2023 was less than a year,” the lawyer stated.

“The deceased appears to have showered largesse on the plaintiff without any

promise of future support.”

‘Legend’ of Sydney football

Mr Giannaros died in September 2023 within months of being diagnosed with cancer. He and Kelly have two adult children.

Mr Giannaros served as Vice President and as Senior Football Director of Sydney Olympic FC in 2008 and became President in 2009 to 2013.

He also served as director on the board in its final year of the NSL in 2003- 2004.

Mr Giannaros also played a vital role in securing a 25-year lease for SOFC at Belmore Sports Ground and secured a $5.9 million upgrade for the ground.

Originally published as Football family torn apart by estate claim