Ergin Ataman sends a stern message to Olympiacos stands: 'Just because I am Turkish…'
Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman reacted sharply to the Greek flags displayed by Olympiacos fans in the stands. Stating, "They are coming to the arena with Greek flags just because I am Turkish!" Ataman emphasized that there are almost no Greek players on the opposing team's roster.
AA
Panathinaikos AKTOR head coach Ergin Ataman made striking statements following the 3-1 loss in the playoff final series against Olympiacos. Pointing to the Greek flags displayed in the stands throughout the match, Ataman said he perceived this situation as a personal message.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Ataman expressed the following regarding the Greek flags carried by Olympiacos fans in the stands:
“I love Greece. Today I saw a lot of Greek flags in the arena. Olympiacos fans came to the arena with Greek flags, but I wonder, how many Greek players are playing on their team?”
The experienced coach implied that most of the players on the opposing team's roster are not of Greek origin, stating that the flags were displayed "specifically" during the match and that he believes this situation was directed at him. He continued his words as follows:
“They have only one Greek player. The rest are all fake Greeks. Walkup, Dorsey, Vezenkov, Mitrou-Long... Our roster is full of Greek players. There is Sloukas, there is Mitoglou, there is Papapetrou, there is Kalaitzakis, there is Samadurov. Despite this, they come to the arena with Greek flags just because I am Turkish!”
With these words, Ataman both emphasized that the atmosphere in the stands was linked to his own identity and drew attention to the weight of local players in the Panathinaikos roster. He leveled criticisms by pointing to the foreign athletes on the Olympiacos roster.
Ataman also spoke about Olympiacos player Evan Fournier, who received a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, and extended a special thank you to the Panathinaikos fans:
“Because they did not enter the stadium and did not stop the match out of respect for basketball. Because if this action had taken place in another country, people would have entered the stadium.”
Ataman stated that he was proud of the mature attitude his fans displayed throughout the match, drawing attention to the importance of respect in sports.