By Stefanos Tatsios/ info@eurohoops.net
The Greek deputy minister of sports Giorgos Vasiliadis on a last minute attempt to mediate between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos in order for Sunday’s game between them to be played called tonight the owners of the two teams and also the owner of AEK, the head of the Greek League and the president of the Greek federation in a meeting at his office.
However, the talks ended up abruptly when Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos stormed out of the door accusing Olympiacos‘ management of pushing him and threatening him.
The meeting proved to be a fiasco with the Reds from their side accusing Giannakopoulos of spitting Olympiacos‘ vice president Giorgos Skindilias. After leaving the building Giannakopoulos talked to the radio station Sport FM and said among other things: “Giorgos Vasiliadis is a well known Olympiacos fan. Mister Skindilias threatened to beat me. I have had a surgical operation recently. I am outside the building. I invite George Aggelopoulos (ed.note: Olympiacos owner) to come down and push me now. I don’t understand why there was a meeting at this moment. There are laws and rules and they must be applied“.
The account of the events according to Olympiacos is that first Giannakopoulos spit on Skindilias who was outraged by the insult and moved against the owner of Panathinaikos cursing at him. George Aggelopoulos tried to restrain Skindilias and said to Giannakopoulos: “Cut the theatrics and sit down”.
After this incident, Giannakopoulos left together with his lawyer, who was present in the meeting. Greek federation president Giorgos Vasilakopoulos was absent and vice-president Aristides Golemis has attended the meeting, representing the federation.
After the end of the meeting, the Aggelopoulos brothers stated that at least the discussion started for the refereeing issues in the Greek league and also expressed their discontent for the fact that the head of the Greek basketball federation was absent.
Deputy minister Giorgos Vasiliadis confirmed that ultimately Sunday’s game will not be played and that Olympiacos will suffer the consequences since the owners of the Reds are ready to accept them. However, he also added that the first step towards changes has been made. When he was asked how there can be changes with Panathinaikos missing from the table, he answered that he would like to focus on the progress made and nothing else.
The night ended with Dimitris Giannakopoulos waiting for Aggelopoulos brothers, on the parking lot of the building while broadcasting live on Instagram and following them with his car, shouting curses and chants about Olympiacos being relegated in the second division.