Bilirakis Writes Letter to NBC on Inaccurate Reporting on Macedonian History

Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) along with fellow Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12), recently sent a letter to NBC Universal CEO Stephen B. Burke regarding inaccurate reporting on Macedonian history during NBC’s coverage of the Opening Ceremonies of the 2016 Summer Olymics.

The members urged NBC to correct the record during tonight’s Olympic Closing Ceremonies and noted, “NBC commentators inaccurately associated Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great to the nation of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) by mentioning these two figures of Greek history during the presentation of the team from FYROM. In doing so, the broadcast strongly implied that these Greek figures descended from FYROM, when in fact, they are Greek…by not strictly using the name FYROM during the Opening Ceremony, the commentators undermined the position of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which recognizes FYROM as the nation’s interim name.”

To read the full letter, click here.