By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The head coach of Panathinaikos Aktor, Ergin Ataman, used profanities, talking about Game 2 of the Stoiximan GBL Finals.
“Circus,” he told Greek public television ERT, describing his view on the situation surrounding the meeting between his side and eternal rival Olympiacos in the Peace and Friendship Stadium, “This is not sports in this arena.”
With 2:33 left in the fourth quarter, Ataman was ejected with a second technical foul.
“This is racist on the court,” the 59-year-old Turkish tactician said on supporters of the Reds insulting his country, “F… you, Panathinaikos, you can say, but f… you Turkiye, you can not say. This is why I got the second technical foul.”
Team owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos was ejected shortly before tipoff. The escalating situation also led to a prosecutor’s arrest order, according to Olympiacos.
“What they did at the beginning of the game on the family of our president Giannakopoulos does not exist in sports,” mentioned a furious Ataman, “They are bastards. That’s all.”
His postgame interview also extended to referee decisions.
“They played aggressively. We shot 17 free throws and they shot 33 free throws,” he mentioned, “Let’s see in OAKA. The series will continue.”
On the opposite end, Olympiacos play-caller Giorgos Bartzokas also shared his opinion on the incidents.
“There was tension from before the game and was followed by more later,” he said, “We have to calm down a bit, because we are talking about sports.”
When asked about the insulting chants, he added: “I don’t see anyone complaining when 20.000 people chant against my dead mother and my child at OAKA”.
Game 3 will be played in OAKA Altion on Wednesday.