The Greek Cup final between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos eventually turned into a circus event and the final result, which saw Panathinaikos winning their 14th Greek Cup, is the last thing on the minds of everyone involved.
As every year, the Greek Basketball Federation decided to limit the number of tickets to 900 for every team (in a potentially 12.000 capacity arena). And as every year both teams, knowingly handed those tickets to the worst hooligans of their teams. {jathumbnail off}
The first incident occurred during the pregame warm up. A flare thrown by Panathinaikos fans struck Kyle Hines who fell on the court and was taken to the locker rooms injured.
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The game started as scheduled as Hines was fine and was able to play. But with few minutes passed during the second quarter and Panathinaikos leading, all hell broke loose.
The tension started from the VIP stands as someone was making obscene gestures to Olympiacos fans. As a result an Olympiacos fans charged the VIP stands and was hitting that person with his belt. Then more people, both from VIP and the teams’ fans stands got involved.
(Image courtesy of Sportdog.gr)
The refs decided to suspended the game and ordered the players to head to locker rooms, which was fortunate, as moment later, fans from both sides invaded the court, including a shank-wielding Olympiacos fans who had a stand-off with opponents fans. (0:35 at the video below)
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Panathinaikos player Michael Bramos was injured after an object, thrown by fans from the Olympiacos section hit him on the shoulder. He was also able to continue playing, but needed stitches.
After more than an hour the referees decided that the game will still go ahead, but behind closed doors. The fans stands were evacuated relative quickly as the fans were eager to settle scores outside the arena. Of course there were many people left in the arena with accreditation who kept behaving in the most shameful way.
Olympiacos has filed an objection due to Hines injury by a flare and “unfit circumstances” during which the game took place. As a result Olympiacos squad and coaching staff didn’t show up in the Cup award ceremony, as both the winning and losing team were supposed to.
(Image courtesy of Sport.gr)
Olympiacos management had many complaints by the referees and accused the Greek Basketball Federation of organising a farce. On the other hand Panathinaikos president called for a “judge with guts to finally punish the filthy club called Olympiacos”.
During the press conference, Olympiacos coach, Giorgos Bartzokas, accused Panathinaikos president of terrorising the referees by barging in their locker rooms after Olympiacos-Panathinaikos game at SEF over the last weekend and then one of the referees of that game having his house attacked, some days ago.
Panathinaikos’ Lithuanian international Jonas Maciulis stated he was not surprised about the events: “I was not surprised, I knew how the situation in Greece is”.
For the record, Panathinaikos won the Cup, 81-78 thanks to outstanding performance by their captain Dimitris Diamantidis (19 pts, 8 rbs, 7 ast) and Roko-Leni Ukic who scored 18 points making crucial shots when it mattered the most. The Croatian guard was also voted the MVP of the final.
Panathinaikos coach Argyris Pedoulakis stated satisfied: “Time is working for our behalf. We controlled the game for almost the entire duration of it and we showed character. It was difficult as only Diamantidis, Tsartsaris and Schortsianitis had experience from such atmospheres”.
(Image courtesy of Gazzetta.gr)
