The third game of the Greek Basketball League (GBL) Finals, originally scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 4 at the Athens Olympic Stadium (OAKA) Indoor Hall, has been officially postponed, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis announced Monday.
The move comes in the wake of serious fan violence during Game 2 between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos at the Peace and Friendship Stadium on Sunday evening.
Speaking during a press briefing, Marinakis condemned the “shameful scenes” that unfolded before, during, and after the match, signaling a zero-tolerance stance from the government on fan-related violence. He emphasized that criminal and disciplinary accountability will be pursued wherever necessary.
In line with measures previously implemented in Greek football, the government is now extending similar interventions to basketball. Marinakis stated that the suspension of Wednesday’s game is not just a reaction, but a warning shot—unless key stakeholders can guarantee the safe and smooth conclusion of the finals, the series may be permanently halted.
On the morning of the postponed match, the owners of the two clubs—Dimitris Giannakopoulos (Panathinaikos) and brothers Giorgos and Panagiotis Angelopoulos (Olympiacos)—will be summoned to meet with Deputy Sports Minister Giannis Vroutsis.
They will be expected to provide firm assurances regarding security and the peaceful completion of the remaining games. Failure to do so could lead to the cancellation of the finals altogether.
