KINGNEWSWIRE // PRESS RELEASE // Drug-prevention initiative reaches runners and spectators at the 2026 Athens Marathon, with 49 athletes joining the campaign and Greek ultramarathon runner George Kyriakoulakos supporting its message.
ATHENS, Greece — 12 November 2026 — Volunteers associated with the Foundation for a Drug-Free World distributed more than 23,000 drug-prevention booklets during five days of activities surrounding the 43rd Athens Marathon, the Authentic, bringing educational materials to an international gathering of athletes, families and spectators.
The initiative took place from 4 to 8 November, beginning at the official Marathon Expo and concluding at the historic Panathenaic Stadium, commonly known as Kallimarmaro, where runners crossed the finish line. 49 athletes participated in the races wearing Drug-Free World T-shirts, extending the initiative’s visibility beyond its information stands.
The activities coincided with a record-breaking edition of Greece’s largest running event. More than 85,000 participants registered across the weekend’s races, representing approximately 124 countries, with around 25,000 registered for the traditional 42.195-kilometre marathon.
Four Days of Public Education at the Marathon Expo
From 4 to 7 November, Drug-Free World volunteers operated stand number 144 at the Allwyn Marathon Expo, held at the Indoor Stadium of Palaio Faliro, a former Olympic venue.
The exhibition, organised in connection with the marathon by the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS), brought together more than 180 sporting brands and services, alongside organisations involved in health, fitness and athletic activities.
During the four-day exhibition, volunteers distributed approximately 18,000 copies of The Truth About Drugs educational booklets, together with 35 information packs and 66 DVDs.
The materials explain the effects and risks associated with commonly misused substances, including alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, synthetic drugs and the misuse of prescription medication. They are intended to support informed decisions, particularly among young people, by presenting drug-related information in accessible language.
The exhibition provided an opportunity to reach people already engaged in sport and physical activity, as well as parents, coaches and other visitors attending the event.
A further element of the initiative involved inviting registered athletes to carry the campaign’s message during their races. 49 runners agreed to wear Drug-Free World shirts, connecting the prevention message with the wider sporting community.
An Ultramarathon Runner Linking Sport and Prevention
Among those representing the initiative was Greek ultramarathon runner George Kyriakoulakos, whose involvement in drug-prevention education predates this year’s Athens Marathon.
Kyriakoulakos, founder of the UltraMarathon Greece and Ligo Akoma platforms, has participated in demanding endurance events, including the Spartathlon and other ultradistance competitions.
His commitment to drug education has also been documented independently of the current event.
In a September 2025 interview with UltraMarathon Greece, Kyriakoulakos described his participation in the Citizens’ Initiative for a Drug-Free Greece, a volunteer effort providing information to students, athletes and the wider public.
He explained that the initiative conducts presentations in schools and sporting environments to improve awareness of drug-related risks. Reflecting on the connection between athletics and prevention, he stated that sport should inspire, strengthen people and remain free from drugs.
His involvement illustrates how volunteer initiatives can develop relationships with individuals who are already active in community organisations and sporting networks.
Rather than treating prevention as a subject limited to schools or formal awareness campaigns, the Athens activities placed educational information in a setting where health, physical endurance and personal choices were already subjects of public interest.
Drug-Prevention Outreach at the Historic Finish Line
On Sunday, 8 November, the volunteers continued their activities at the Panathenaic Stadium, the marble stadium associated with the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
The stadium hosted the finish of the Authentic Marathon, whose traditional route begins in the town of Marathon and passes through eastern Attica before entering central Athens.
The volunteers operated an information stand at the stadium, distributing approximately 5,500 additional booklets to people attending the event.
This second phase brought the campaign into contact with the marathon’s finishing area, where runners, accompanying families and spectators gathered throughout the day.
The 2026 marathon weekend also included 5-kilometre and 10-kilometre events, university races, children’s competitions and activities involving athletes with disabilities, reflecting the breadth of participation in the annual sporting programme.
Together, the exhibition and stadium activities accounted for more than 23,000 educational booklets distributed, alongside the additional audiovisual and information materials provided during the week.
A Wider International Drug-Education Programme
The Athens activities formed part of the international Truth About Drugs campaign developed by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World.
The Foundation produces educational booklets, documentaries, public-service announcements and online learning materials intended to inform young people and adults about substance misuse.
Its materials are available in multiple languages, including Greek, allowing volunteers and participating organisations to adapt their outreach to local communities.
The programme is supported internationally by the Church of Scientology and its members. The Church identifies drug-prevention education as one of the humanitarian initiatives inspired by its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, who placed emphasis on personal responsibility, education and addressing social problems through practical action.
In Greece, Church of Scientology volunteers have previously participated in drug-awareness activities connected with the Athens Marathon, including outreach documented during the 2022 edition.
The latest initiative continues that involvement through public information stands and participation by members of the sporting community.
Ivan Arjona, representative of the Church of Scientology to the European Union, OSCE, Council of Europe and United Nations, connected the Athens activities with wider European principles of prevention and civic responsibility.
“Sport brings people together across generations, nationalities and backgrounds. When volunteers use occasions such as the Athens Marathon to share information about drug-related risks, they contribute to a culture of prevention and informed personal choice. Across Europe, access to education and responsible civic participation are important elements of protecting individual well-being and strengthening our communities.”
The Athens campaign reflects an approach to prevention that relies on accessible educational materials and volunteer participation in public events.
While distribution figures measure the reach of the materials rather than subsequent changes in behaviour, they illustrate the scale of the volunteers’ activities during a major international sporting occasion.
The combination of educational stands, participating athletes and the involvement of established endurance runners brought the subject of drug awareness into a public setting extending beyond conventional classroom-based prevention activities.
