GRE/BRA - Zisis willing to forgive Anderson

SÃO CARLOS (Olympics/FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - They say time heals all wounds, but that is only partially true for Greece veteran Nikos Zisis.

Almost six years ago at the FIBA World Championship in Japan, Zisis suffered fractured bones in his face when hit by Brazil's Anderson Varejao in a Preliminary Round game.

The incident enraged the Greek players, fans and journalists while Anderson and the Brazilians claimed the contact wasn't intentional.

Video replay shows Anderson under the basket in Brazil's two-three zone with the Greeks leading 59-45 six minutes into the third quarter.

As Zisis dribbles from the right wing into the lane, Anderson steps in his direction to stop his progress and raised his left elbow.

It connects with the right side of Zisis' face, and the Greek player's head snaps back violently.

Zisis immediately runs to the Greek bench and after examinations, it's determined he has serious facial injuries and will play no further part in the World Championship.

The injury prevented him from playing in Greece's most famous game in modern times, their 101-95 upset of the United States in the Semi-Finals.

Zisis did remarkably well to recover and play basketball again the following season, but the injury happened when his career was taking off and some will argue that the injury was so harsh both physically and psychologically that he has not become the superstar that he was developing into.

Now, on Thursday in São Carlos, Brazil, Zisis and Greece will face Anderson and the Brazilians in a friendly.

Brazil are warming up for the London Games while Greece are getting ready for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

After his team's friendly victory over Nigeria on Tuesday night, Zisis was asked about Anderson.

"I've been informed that Varejao wants to meet me and apologize to me for what happened in 2006,” Zisis said.

“I still believe that it was 100% intentional and it caused me big problems, but I understand that in life, weird things happen.

“If his remorse is real, why not?

“Maybe the time has come... If he persuades me that his move is sincere then I will accept his apology.

“Since he thought that time has come to apologize to me, then maybe it is also time for me to accept this apology, if he really means it."

In the years since the injury, Zisis has been an effective guard with Benetton Treviso, CSKA Moscow, Montepaschi Siena and Greece's national team, and Anderson has blossomed into an excellent big man with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

FIBA