GREECE'S HEATED BASKETBALL SHOWDOWN: PANATHINAIKOS VS. OLYMPIACOS
Basketball trainer from Turkey expresses response to derogatoryTurkish chants during game event
June 1 saw a tense Greek League playoff game between rivals Panathinaikos and Olympiacos, with Panathinaikos' Turkish head coach, Ergin Ataman, getting booted from the court. The cause? A wave of offensive chants hurled at Türkiye.
The game, Olympiacos' home turf for the second playoff semi-final, ended in a 91-83 win for Olympiacos, tying the series 1-1. The match was far from ordinary, with Ataman locking horns with referees and fans. His ejection resulted from two technical fouls.
Ataman spoke out against the chants, stating that no one had the right to dish out insults towards Türkiye. He clarified that while he could take insults directed at him or Panathinaikos, Türkiye was off-limits.
Olympiacos' owner, Panagiotis Angelopoulos, fans the flames, accusing Ataman of inciting violence and calling for legal action.
This isn't the first time Ataman has stood up against anti-Turkish sentiment in the sports world. Last September, during a pre-season friendly against Maccabi Tel Aviv, Ataman stormed the court in protest of a political banner flaunted by a Greek fan group. The banner critiqued the so-called Turkish occupation of Cyprus and depicted the island bleeding. Once again, Ataman was ejected from the game due to his reaction.
In Greek basketball's evolving narrative, tensions between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos continue to heat up, fueled by nationalistic feelings and fanatic behavior.
Dive Deeper:
- The incident took place during the decisive moments of the fourth quarter when Ataman received two technical fouls, resulting in his ejection.
- The derogatory chants targeted Türkiye, prompting a strong reaction from Ataman. Despite enduring personal insults, Ataman maintained that his country should never be disrespected.
- The game was marred by escalating tensions, with clashes not solely limited to Ataman and fans, but also extending to officials and security personnel.
Aftermath and Consequences:
- Post-match, Ataman voiced his discontent with the bad sportsmanship and suggested the chaos was part of Olympiacos' strategy to unsettle Panathinaikos.
- Olympiacos' owner, Panagiotis Angelopoulos, escalated the situation by accusing Ataman of insulting the home crowd and calling for legal action.
- The Greek government decided to indefinitely halt the Greek League Finals due to the mounting tensions and incidents during the game.
The heated basketball showdown between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos in the Greek League, which took place on June 1, was not just a game of sports-analysis, but a platform for nationalistic feelings. The incident, which unfolded during the fourth quarter, resulted in the ejection of Panathinaikos' coach, Ergin Ataman, following derogatory chants targeted towards Türkiye. Post-match, Ataman criticized the bad sportsmanship and suggested that the chaos was deliberate, intended to unsettle Panathinaikos. This controversial game, part of the NBA-style playoff semi-finals, ended with a win for Olympiacos, tying the series 1-1, but its repercussions continue to resonate in the world of sports, stirring debates about sportsmanship, nationalism, and appropriate fan behavior.
