Fierce clash between the Aggelopoulos brothers, Giannakopoulos, and Ataman sets fire to the finals

A dramatic clash involving the Aggelopoulos brothers, Dimitris Giannakopoulos, and Ergin Ataman has escalated tensions in the finals.
The fierce rivalry between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos in the Basket League has spilled off the court, leading to a series of accusations, lawsuits, and vulgar gestures, intensifying the atmosphere ahead of Game 3, which is set for Wednesday, June 4 at 21:00 at OAKA, after Olympiacos leveled the series at 1–1 with a victory at SEF.

The climax of Sunday’s events at SEF featured shocking remarks from Panagiotis and Giorgos Aggelopoulos, who leveled serious accusations against Dimitris Giannakopoulos. They claimed they filed a lawsuit against him, alleging that prior to the game, the Panathinaikos owner threatened Giorgos Aggelopoulos’s daughter and made lewd gestures as he entered the arena.

Incident Overview

The chaos commenced even before the second final tipped off, sparked by Giannakopoulos’s ejection. He became furious after Olympiacos fans targeted him with offensive chants about his daughter. After responding with a gesture, he demanded that the referees acknowledge the chants.

Referees Tsimpouris, Maglogiannis, and Christinakis ultimately decided to eject the Panathinaikos president, who became increasingly agitated in the tunnel and locker rooms before exiting SEF and missing his team’s 91–83 loss. However, that was only the beginning.

Just minutes before the game resumed (delayed due to earlier tensions), Giannakopoulos was seen in the locker rooms. Panathinaikos clarified that he wasn’t ejected but had gone to speak with the prosecutor on site. He went live on Instagram, showing the atmosphere and his discussions with police officers who were preventing him from re-entering the arena.

Throughout, Giannakopoulos persistently requested either to be arrested or allowed back inside.

Giannakopoulos’s Live Updates During the Second Final:

During the game, both clubs exchanged statements detailing their perspectives on the incident.

Initially, Panathinaikos asserted that Giannakopoulos was not ejected by the referees. They emphasized that the referees merely requested him to leave the court to start the match: “Mr. Giannakopoulos was not ejected; the referees asked him to step away due to the situation so the game could begin. He left to discuss the appalling chants targeting his daughter,” the club stated.

Intense Confrontation Spices Up the Finals

In a statement during halftime, Olympiacos claimed that Giannakopoulos was at risk of arrest under the prosecutor’s orders, indicating that had he not vacated the premises, an arrest would have been enforced. They contended that he left voluntarily to avoid being detained.

Giannakopoulos’s Exit from SEF

Panathinaikos countered, asserting that Giannakopoulos didn’t leave to avoid arrest and hadn’t received any notifications about such an action. “It is false that Mr. Giannakopoulos left to dodge arrest. He was not informed of any arrest. He exited on his own volition because the crowd was hurling horrendous insults at him and his daughter, and no one intervened.”

The Lawsuit and Accusations by the Aggelopoulos Brothers

Following the match, Olympiacos owners Giorgos and Panagiotis Aggelopoulos, alongside team director Nikos Lepeniotis, addressed the situation live on ERT, providing their account of events.

Olympiacos has filed a lawsuit against Giannakopoulos, calling for his immediate arrest. Panagiotis Aggelopoulos remarked: “A lawsuit has been lodged by the club; the arrest process is underway.”

Giorgos Aggelopoulos added: “Dimitris Giannakopoulos is currently being pursued under an arrest warrant. We urge the Greek authorities to apprehend him immediately. We don’t know his residence; let’s put an end to this narrative.”

The Olympiacos management also commented on statements made by Ergin Ataman post-game. Ataman remarked:
“No one can say ‘fk Turkey, fk Panathinaikos.’ They may say that of Panathinaikos, but never about Turkey. Anyone who said that is a scoundrel!”

Olympiacos responded:
“Ataman insulted Olympiacos fans. No one is allowed to do that. He needs to be reprimanded – he operates in a foreign country. His words may incite violence. The outcome of these finals remains uncertain.”