By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
Panathinaikos issued a statement against Olympiacos coach Giorgos Bartzokas following an incident involving him at the Dubai BC arena after the EuroLeague Round 26 clash.
The incident stemmed from verbal abuse directed at the 60-year-old coach following Tuesday’s game. After deciding to address the situation in the stands, he became visibly frustrated. Further intervention prevented the situation from escalating.
In the statement, Panathinaikos described the scene and also addressed Olympiacos BC for not publicly condemning Bartzokas’ behavior, pointing out that the Piraeus club had already asked the EuroLeague to take action against the fan who confronted their head coach.
“Admire Mr. Giorgos Bartzokas, the head coach of a historic team, who after the conclusion of the Dubai BC vs Olympiacos game, verbally abused Greek fans in a foreign arena in the most vulgar manner.
Mr. Bartzokas, out of control and climbing onto the arena railings, was shouting, among other things, at a fan: “I f*** you all, greens,” attempting in this way to insult Panathinaikos and its millions of supporters on the very day of the 118th anniversary of Greece’s greatest Club and one of the greatest in Europe.
No “dwarf” has the right to utter the name of Panathinaikos, the Panathinaikos of 7 European titles, 1 Intercontinental Cup, 41 Greek Championships and 21 Greek Cups — the team that has won as many titles as all the others combined.
As if that were not enough, he then also verbally abused a woman in an obscene manner (“Go f*** yourself, you whore”), who had the audacity, unbelievably, to ask him to calm down.
And yet, the supposedly “sensitive” Olympiacos BC, which rushes to the authorities over every issue, instead of publicly condemning Mr. Bartzokas for the disgusting things he said and did in front of everyone in Dubai, asked EuroLeague to identify and punish the Greek fan from the stands who insulted him (!). How much hypocrisy can there be?
What is certain is that Panathinaikos BC AKTOR, serving its millions of fans and respecting its glorious history, will proceed with all necessary legal actions so that Mr. Bartzokas is punished in an exemplary manner.”