Giannakopoulos receives a one-month ban, Bartzokas also sanctioned after Greek Finals Game 2

By Stefan Acevski/ info@eurohoops.net

The owner of Panathinaikos BC Dimitris Giannakopoulos has been sanctioned, among others, with a one-month ban for entering the floor and protesting to referees Petros Papapetrou, Giannis Tiganis & Giorgos Theonas, demanding they issue a technical foul to Olympiacos coach Giorgos Bartzokas.

The 61-year-old coach of Olympiacos BC, among other things, is required to apologize within one day for his expressions and behavior, as he was recorded on video insulting the Head of Operations of Panathinaikos BC, Savvas Aronis.

Nikos Lepeniotis, General Manager of Olympiacos BC, was also sanctioned with a one-month ban among others, for defaming the sport through statements he made after the game about a “junta from Greek television” and more.

Fines were “raining” on both clubs due to the behavior of these members as well as the fans of Panathinaikos.

Details:

For Giannakopoulos’ behavior:

1. Dimitris Giannakopoulos, owner of PANATHINAIKOS ATHLETIC CLUB BASKETBALL S.A. (trading as PANATHINAIKOS BC AKTOR), is sanctioned for the disciplinary offense of acts constituting defamation of the sport, committed in a repeated manner during the A1 National Category Championship game of 2025-2026, against the team of OLYMPIACOS SYNDESMOS FILATHLON PEIRAIOS BASKETBALL S.A. (trading as OLYMPIACOS BC), held on 05.06.2026: a) a severe written reprimand, b) a temporary ban from entering all stadiums for one (1) month, and c) a financial penalty of thirty thousand (30,000) euros.
2. PANATHINAIKOS ATHLETIC CLUB BASKETBALL S.A. (trading as PANATHINAIKOS BC AKTOR) is sanctioned with a severe written reprimand and a financial penalty of forty-four thousand (44,000) euros for the aforementioned act of its owner committed in a repeated manner.

For Bartzokas’ & Lepeniotis’ behavior:

1. Giorgos Bartzokas, coach of OLYMPIACOS SYNDESMOS FILATHLON PEIRAIOS BASKETBALL S.A. (trading as OLYMPIACOS BC), is sanctioned for acts constituting defamation of the sport during the A1 National Category Championship game of 2025-2026 against the team of PANATHINAIKOS ATHLETIC CLUB BASKETBALL S.A. (trading as PANATHINAIKOS BC AKTOR), held on 05.06.2026: a) a severe written reprimand, b) a public retraction of his defamatory expressions and an apology to the fan base for his behavior within one (1) day from the publication of this decision with a simultaneous announcement to the press, c) a financial penalty of ten thousand (10,000) euros.
2. Nikolaos Lepeniotis, member of the Board of Directors and General Manager of OLYMPIACOS SYNDESMOS FILATHLON PEIRAIOS BASKETBALL S.A. (trading as OLYMPIACOS BC), is sanctioned for acts constituting defamation of the sport during the A1 National Category Championship game of 2025-2026 against the team of PANATHINAIKOS ATHLETIC CLUB BASKETBALL S.A. (trading as PANATHINAIKOS BC AKTOR), held on 05.06.2026: a) a temporary ban from entering all stadiums for one (1) month, and b) a financial penalty of twenty thousand (20,000) euros.
3. OLYMPIACOS SYNDESMOS FILATHLON PEIRAIOS BASKETBALL S.A. (trading as OLYMPIACOS BC) is sanctioned a) with a severe written reprimand and a financial penalty of thirty thousand (30,000) euros for the aforementioned acts of its coach, and b) with a severe written reprimand and a financial penalty of fifty thousand (50,000) euros for the aforementioned acts of its board member.

For the behavior of Panathinaikos’ fans:

PANATHINAIKOS ATHLETIC CLUB BASKETBALL S.A. (trading as PANATHINAIKOS BC AKTOR) is sanctioned with: a) a financial penalty of three thousand (3,000) euros for the disciplinary offense of chanting abusive slogans that did not target individuals nor were offensive to national symbols, and b) a financial penalty of one thousand (1,000) euros for incidents inside the stadium but outside the playing area (stands, locker rooms, etc.). These offenses occurred during the game against OLYMPIACOS SYNDESMOS FILATHLON PEIRAIOS BASKETBALL S.A. (trading as OLYMPIACOS BC) held on 05.06.2026.

Giannakopoulos comments after the sanction

Dimitris Giannakopoulos emphasized that the second penalty (a one-month ban from entering stadiums) was fair, but he expressed his objections.

In detail, he wrote:

“One month for the foul I was asking for in Valencia. One month also for the technical foul I was demanding for Bartzokas.

Especially the second penalty is fair, but I must be the only owner who is banned from watching his team in the final stretch when the total efforts are at stake.

And all this because no one wants/can upset the tall one, resulting in me stepping out of line in the hopes of avoiding a 100-0 against and playing at 70-30.”