By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After reviewing the incidents in Ano Liosia Olympic Hall during the game between AEK Betsson and Promitheas on 20 March, the Basketball Champions League issued penalties to the team based in Athens.
The decision includes a suspended sanction of one home game behind closed doors in the 2024-25 edition of FIBA Europe’s top-tier club continental competition and a fine of 25,000 euros, AEK announced on Friday.
In Gameday 6 of Round of 16 Group L, the continental matchup of teams from Greece’s Stoiximan Basket League was interrupted for several minutes with 7:13 remaining in the fourth quarter due to items thrown on the court and on the bench of the Patras outfit. After resuming action, the team coached by Ilias Papatheodorou notched the win. The Queen was already eliminated and finished the double-legged round-robin schedule at 0-6.
In familiar territory, the former BCL champions were restricted to a partial closure of 80% of the Ano Liosia Olympic Hall throughout the 2023-24 season due to a sanction stemming from incidents during a home contest versus Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem.
“It is inconceivable that this kind of behavior ‘punishes’ the majority of fans, who love the Queen and support the team with their voice and soul, under any circumstances,” noted AEK, reacting to the latest disciplinary action, “We inform all those hurting our team over the past few years and those with similar behavior in the future that our patience has run out.”
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League