The family of former Sydney Olympic Football Club president George Giannaros were blindsided after his Greek lover launched legal action claiming he promised to buy her an apartment in Athens.

According to news.com.au, Athens woman Angela Bardi 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.

Bardi, 16 years younger than her ‘lover’, told the court she paid a deposit on an apartment based on Giannaros’s word but now risks losing it if she doesn’t pay.

She claimed he guaranteed he would cover the balance but the transaction was never completed because he died.

The court was told last week that the pair began a relationship from 2018 and it was not in dispute that Giannaros transferred approximately $337,770 to Bardi over the last three years of his life.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Bardi launched an emergency application in the Supreme Court from Greece to speed up a payment of up to $600,000.

The sole beneficiary of the $1.2 million estate was Giannaros’s wife of 28 years, Kelly. They have two adult children.

His will also made no provision for Bardi.

It was heard in court that the evidence in the case “strongly supported” that Kelly “knew nothing about Ms Bardi or her relationship with Mr Giannaros until the days before his death.”

Justice Francois Kunc rejected the application, for reasons including the amount of money is not available.

Judge Kunc said the marriage was a happy one and that Giannaros took no steps divorce his wife despite Bardi’s evidence saying he would do so.

“There is evidence that Ms Giannaros saved her husband’s life when he suffered a heart attack at the family home on the day of their wedding anniversary on 25 February 2023,” he told the court.

“She later remained with Mr Giannaros throughout his final hospitalisation until his untimely death from cancer.”

Bardi told the court she is living rent free with her mother in Athens and wanted to open a beauty salon.

Giannaros was the president of Sydney Olympic from 2009 to 2013 and was director on the board in its final year of the NSL in 2003-2004.

He also played a key role in securing a 25-year lease for the club at Belmore Sports Ground and secured a $5.9 million upgrade for the ground.

The case is now set to continue and is listed for a mediation hearing on April 1.