Huge security at soccer game
Police yesterday announced unprecedented security measures for tomorrow’s Olympiakos-Panathinaikos soccer game, with several blocks around the stadium closed to traffic and fans being shepherded to the stadium at least three hours before the 8 p.m. kickoff. Only 11,000 fans – 9,000 from host Olympiakos and 2,000 from Panathinaikos – will be allowed into the 15,000-seat Rizoupoli Stadium, Athens Police Chief Ioannis Tsironis said yesterday. A total of 3,000 policemen will be mobilized, some to check arriving fans at checkpoints around the stadium, but most being stationed as riot police inside the stadium. An unprecedented three sports commissioners will be present, as well as two public prosecutors. This is the first time in many years that a league title hinges on the result of one game, between the top two rivals. Olympiakos needs a two-goal win to gain an unprecedented seventh straight title and team owner Socrates Kokkalis has promised a total bonus of nearly 3.5 million euros for the title.
