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Panathinaikos AKTOR head coach Ergin Ataman was ejected during a volatile Game 2 of the Greek League finals on Sunday after confronting Olympiakos fans over profanities directed at Türkiye. Olympiakos won the game 91-83, tying the best-of-five series at 1-1.
With 2:33 remaining in the fourth quarter, Ataman received his second technical foul and was thrown out of the game. Speaking afterward, the veteran Turkish coach said his ejection stemmed from a fan’s slur directed not at his team, but at his country.
Speaking to the press after the match, the Turkish coach condemned the atmosphere inside Peace and Friendship Stadium.
“This is not sport. This is a circus,” Ataman said. “No one here can insult my country. They can insult me or Panathinaikos, but not Türkiye. That’s why I was given the second technical foul.”
The game itself was intense from tipoff, lasting 2 hours and 10 minutes and marked by a hostile atmosphere in Peace and Friendship Stadium. Olympiakos maintained control throughout, holding off a late push from Ioannis Papapetrou and Panathinaikos.
The animosity spilled beyond the court. Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos was forced to leave the arena at halftime after confronting officials over profane chants — some of which he said were aimed at his young daughter. He later took to Instagram, claiming he had been “forced out” despite being the target of abuse.
Giannakopoulos had already been ejected from the arena even before tipoff, adding to the tension that surrounded the game from start to finish.
Ataman also slammed the officiating, pointing to what he saw as an unfair free throw imbalance.
“Of course, referees — everybody’s afraid,” he said. “They play aggressive, and they shoot 33 [free throws]; we have only 17 free throw shots. They try to fight, they try to hit us, but this is not basketball.”
With the series now level, Game 3 will take place Wednesday, June 4, at OAKA Arena in Athens. Despite the defeat and controversy, Ataman looked ahead defiantly to Game 3.
“Now on Wednesday, we will play basketball. OAKA is not circus. Everybody will respect, but we will play aggressive over there, and we will win the title. That’s all.”
With the series now tied 1-1, the Greek Finals have taken on a tone that goes far beyond basketball — underscoring the fierce rivalry between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos and the broader tensions that exploded during Sunday’s chaotic clash.
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