By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Panathinaikos boss Dimitris Giannakopoulos issued a statement prior to Friday’s (6/12) EuroLeague game of his team against archrival Olympiacos Piraeus at home.
Giannakopoulos sent a message to the fans of the team regarding their presence in the game and also threw shades at Olympiacos for their decision to forfeit last season’ Greek Cup semifinal between the two teams at halftime.
The statement by the owner of Panathinaikos is as follows:
“Fans of Panathinaikos
It was February 13 of 2019 when Olympiacos decided to follow the road of extreme polarization and adapt the strategy of destruction. Since then, they try to destroy the sport of basketball on all levels: club level, national team level but also social level since this is the strategy that gives birth to violence.
We have chosen the other path: that of creating the circumstances for a Hall of Fame coach to come to our country, that of giving to the social community by developing οur departments for our fellow humans that give their own battle, like the departments for children with ASD, the department for people with disabilities, and all the other efforts that’s not within our character to mention. We have created a prototype environment for families to come to the arena, we have managed this and we salute the efforts and actions by EuroLeague towards this direction.
The light always beats the darkness. And this is how it’ll happen on Friday. For another time, I call you, as fans of Panathinaikos, the greatest sports club that the country has known, to prove the chaotic difference of our class that we have against those who follow the strategy of obscurantism and destruction. Since the previous Friday, we’ve witnessed an effort by certain “journalistic” media to set the game on “fire” by creating polarization. We shrug off being concerned with them and we let them… polarizing themselves! We know them and, now, you know them as well. We are so superior, competitive-wise, but also on all levels that nothing more is needed other than for us to support our team only with our voice and confirm once more which is the best homecourt in Europe.
On Friday, OAKA will shine with the gleam of our players and our coach and your warm but also peaceful presence. For once more, it will be proven that Light beats Darkness, as long as it will… stay for the second half.”