Greek Super League board up in arms
The board of directors meeting of the Greek Super League on Tuesday ended abruptly when a shouting match between the presidents of Olympiakos and Panathinaikos ended in an altercation.
“There is no reason to hide that an incident happened and that is why I interrupted the meeting,» said Super League president Giorgos Borovilos. «I will not say much and I don’t want to take sides.”
Borovilos continued: «What happened takes us back. We have many problems to solve in Greek soccer, but not with such actions.”
Panathinaikos president Yiannis Alafouzos told the media after the meeting that his deputy, former club great Vasilis Constantinou, was attacked and injured with a cut lower lip by one of Olympiakos president Vangelis Marinakis’s bodyguards.
“We were assaulted. Mr Marinakis threw a glass of water at me and then his bodyguard threw a punch at Mr Constantinou. I cannot believe that a board of the Super League had such violence,» Alafouzos said.
The incident came after both Alafouzos and Marinakis swore at each other, continuing the war of words between the two clubs two days after the derby between the two won by Panathinaikos in an violence-marred match in Athens 2-1.
Olympiakos did not issue a statement about the incident.
Police using tear gas, fans invading the pitch and a flare hitting a player marred Sunday’s match.
Before the traditionally high-risk encounter kicked off, Marinakis was subjected to a hail of flares, firecrackers and other objects thrown in his direction, although he wasn’t hit.
Just before the start of the second half, a flare hurled by a spectator hit Olympiakos’s Swiss midfielder Pajtim Kasami in the shoulder. That delayed the resumption of play several minutes as the referee waited for calm to return.
At one point a chair was thrown at Olympiakos’s Portuguese coach Vitor Pereira, narrowly missing him. A group of some 50 Panathinaikos fans then ran onto the pitch to chase him away after his gesturing to them. The supporters only returned to their seats once riot police appeared using tear gas to restore order.
Two people were slightly injured during the scuffles which lasted five minutes, media reports said.
[AFP]
