By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
As it was leaked to Greek media on Tuesday night and confirmed officially on Wednesday, the “brawl in Piraeus” (video) is punished heavily by Euroleague which decided after last season and everything that happened with Panathinaikos to change its stance and be stricter on incidents that can harm the image of the league.
Ironically among the first two teams which are punished this time is cross town rival of the Greens Olympiacos. The defending Euroleague champions are sanctioned “with four separate fines and ordered its next game played behind closed doors, without fans, in accordance with the Euroleague Basketball Disciplinary Code, as follow”. The fines are “€10,001 for the aggression by the public on a player under article 28.1, paragraph (e) of the code, €6,000 for the lighting of fireworks inside the arena under article 28.2, paragraph (e) of the code, €8,000 for the use of laser pointers under article 28.1, paragraph (f) of the code, a fine of €15,000 together with the next Olympiacos Piraeus home game to be played behind closed doors, for the incidents generated by the public, including the throwing of objects onto the court, under article 28.2, paragraph 1 (g) of the Code in conjunction with article 28.1, paragraph (j) of the code”.
As for the players, from Olympiacos Mirza Begic is disqualified for four games and is fined with 15.000 euros, Giorgos Printezis punishment is little lighter – three games and 10.000 euros fine – and the same punishment, three games ban and a 10.000 euros fine is applied to Pops Mensah-Bonsu of Galatasaray.