In a ceremony to mark the opening of the 2011-12 professional basketball season in Greece, Olympiacos GM Christos Stavropoulos rather bit the hand that feeds him a bit in making some rather harsh allegations – okay, implications – about official favoritism given his club’s chief rivals Panathinaikos.
“These days, our country is passing through difficult times, but basketball could be an exception. We can all offer a nice show and decent product to our fans,” stated Stavropoulos, adding the proviso that such can only be accomplished “if the rules are applied to all.”
Without actually naming the target of his allegations, Stavropoulos publicly mused, “I wonder how an entire year passes [for a team] without a league drug test. I wonder how they spent an entire season without the decisions of sports bodies announced. And I hope this year is different.”
Wow, if only he’d gotten a tad more agitated, Greece might’ve had a good old-fashioned American-style sports figure meltdown.
The league’s official website naturally glommed over the comments and it appears no official word on Stavropoulos’ vitriol will be forthcoming from Panathinaikos, leaving observers to draw their own conclusions. Here’s what’s sure to become a common one from BallinEurope reader Nikos: “I guess it would explain why [Dimitris] Diamantidis suddenly started refusing to play for the Greek national team anymore. He has to face no doping control with Panathinaikos, but with the Greek national team he would…”
Olympiacos will host Panathinaikos meet for their annual derby game in week five of the season at Olympiacos. Per league penalty, the game will be played in front of empty stands.
Tags: Christos Stravropoulos, Dimitris Diamantidis, ESAKE, Greece, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Team Greece
I really dont get this site…
Even though it doesn’t usually mention rumors,
it is willing to emphasize at some random viewers comments on new articles…
you are ridiculous!the whole article is for nothing.who paid you to write this?english people…
Olympiakos GM did make those comments to the press. It is all over Greek media. Do not criticize this website for merely publishing what he said. Besides that, it is extremely strange why Diamantidis suddenly refused to play for Greece’s national team as soon as the anti doping control ended in Greek Basket League.
Personally, I am a fan of AEK, so I am not blinded by the Panathinaikos fanaticism like others that comment here surely will be. There is something very strange about Diamantidis and his behavior lately.
More problems with the Greek League…………..
http://www.redplanet.gr/basket/anepithumhtos-o-tanatzhs.1406342.html
Olympiacos requested that one of the refs at Aris-Olympiacos Greek Cup Quarterfinal game be removed because he is on the take from Panathinaikos and will try to eliminate Olympiacos in the game.
http://www.redplanet.gr/basket/a1_basket/anavolh-ths-premieras.1406680.html
Greek A1 Championship is postponed because they have not yet made a sponsorship deal with OPAP yet and because they have not yet made a TV deal.
http://www.redplanet.gr/basket/anepithumhtos-o-tanatzhs.1406342.html
Also, this says that after what happened to Panellinios, where the Professional Sports Commission refused to allow Panellinios to compete in the A1 and then also they could not compete even in A2……and thus got sent to “amateur status”, that the Greek A1 teams (except for Olympiacos) requested to eliminate the professional system and return back to the amateur system, so that such things like this cannot be done to other clubs in the future.
And supposedly, the President of Panionios is even asking that the owners lock out the league……………….
You got the translation wrong. Ne literally means 0 tests, for the entire league… doesn’t directly mention or hints Panathinaikos.
He was obviously referring to Panathinaikos.