Faidon Matthaiou was a tremendous all-around athlete who represented Greece at the Olympics in both basketball and rowing. He also participated in water polo, tennis, table tennis, shooting, fencing, and cycling. As a basketball player he started with Aris Thessaloniki in 1945 and in 1949 joined Panathinaikos, with which he won three Greek basketball championships – in 1950-51 and 1954. As a hoopster he was capped 44 times for Greece. After his athletic career ended he became a basketball coach, and is considered the pioneer for women’s basketball in Greece, coaching the women’s national team, and the Mars club.