Panathinaikos issues statement against referees of Tuesday’s EuroLeague game

Panathinaikos released the following statement to protest publicly against the officials of Tuesday’s EuroLeague game against Real Madrid (the Greek club lost 93-97 in double OT).

“At the beginning of the season, as the new administration of Panathinaikos BC, we made a commitment that we will try to restore our relationships with Euroleague, always safeguarding our Club’s interests and history.

As of today, we have followed this principle without exceptions, despite the unnecessary and risky trip we were asked to take to France, despite the questions and doubts raised by Euroleague towards the Greek Gonvernment around their support in our effort to protect our athletes’ health and despite the inadequate initial response to our proposals with regard to the health and safety protocols, which were adopted after all, several weeks/months after they were first made by ourselves.

However, following the indefensible and serious mistakes/calls made by the referees at our game of yesterday against Real Madrid which have cost us the win, we are obliged to react, respecting the history, the fans and the sponsors of our Club.

Unfortunately, the way the competition has been developed in recent years and the consequent limitations, there is no way to react at this moment other than to make an official complaint in writing.

You ask us to protect the product avoiding expressing ourselves in public. However, the dangerous decisions that harm European basketball’s image and reputation are in the public domain.

You ask us to support the product and to bring people and sponsors close to the competition. However, in a game between two of the most legendary teams in Europe, a game that should have been a celebration of basketball that we all wish to improve, some people did not meet the expectations and did not respect the history of these two Clubs. Such disgraceful events can only lead to the opposite results.

Dear all, Panathinaikos BC is, has always been and will always be, financially and historically, the main pillar of any Competition in which the team participates.

On this basis, we expect from everyone to respect our history, our fans and our contribution to the Competition and to European basketball overall. Such behaviours are not derogatory and offensive only towards Panathinaikos BC, but towards European basketball, of which our Club has been a major ambassador for decades.

Panathinaikos BC has celebrated more than a Century since establishment and keeps counting… rest assured that everything else can come to an end one day, Panathinaikos BC, on the other hand, will be here forever.”