While Valencia Basket debates whether to use under-22 players or field a full-strength lineup against Baskonia, Panathinaikos continues to fuel the fire. After Ergin Ataman’s surreal post-game press conference last Friday, where he criticized the refereeing in Game 4, club president Dimitris Giannakopoulos has now stepped into the spotlight with the same complaint.
Despite being suspended for intimidating officials during Game 2 of the series at the Roig Arena, Giannakopoulos has resurfaced on social media, fully committed to increasing pressure on the referees. The Greek club’s president, who will serve his third game of the suspension in Game 5, revealed on Instagram that Panathinaikos has sent a video to the Euroleague (likely the over-eight-minute clip he posted) demanding explanations for several calls made in Game 4 at OAKA.
His full message reads: “Basketball rules change so fast that we often can’t keep up. This usually causes discomfort and frustration for teams and, most of all, for fans. This is the case after the last game between Panathinaikos and Valencia. Fans and all involved are waiting to see how the Euroleague will interpret these decisions. As investors in our clubs and co-owners of the Euroleague, we have an obligation, both to the tournament and its stakeholders, to educate our fans so they know when officials are wrong or act unfairly. Panathinaikos has sent, as permitted, an official video to the Euroleague and looks forward to its official response.”
