A sharp statement from Olympiacos

Olympiacos BC issued a sharp statement at midday on Friday, 23 October 2026, responding to public remarks by Dimitris Giannakopoulos, president of Panathinaikos AKTOR. Naftemporiki names the club's presidents, Giorgos and Panagiotis Angelopoulos, as the authors of the statement. The club said it had no connection to a pending investigation, which it accused Giannakopoulos of linking to Olympiacos for publicity. The statement also questioned how he could claim advance knowledge of the probe when, in the club's account, nobody had informed him that the club was not involved. It said it would not find allies for him in what it called a 100-0 refereeing contest in Panathinaikos's favour, and that it was fighting for a 50-50 contest.

“We do not pose as the judges of Instagram and of the keyboard.”

The probe behind the row

The dispute unfolds against an investigation into complaints about fixed games in Greek basketball. Naftemporiki reports six arrest warrants, including one for Vangelis Liolios, president of EOK. NewsIT lists the arrests of Liolios, four former and current referees and a businessman described as a partner of the EOK president. Olympiacos's statement referred to the matter only as a pending investigation with which it had no connection. The club said Giannakopoulos's recent posts had referred to the case in a way that connected it with Olympiacos.

Giannakopoulos's reply

Shortly after the club's statement, Giannakopoulos responded with an Instagram story and video. He said he would post the Olympiacos statement in full so that everyone could read it, and he added that the club's own words would expose others as well. In the video he referred to what he called the Giannakopoulos law, which he said applies whenever someone slips past a law by mistake and comes out wrong. He said he hoped the matter would become known in the right way.

“Whenever, by mistake, you slip past some law and come out wrong, there is the Giannakopoulos law.”

The club's closing warnings

The statement's closing advice to Giannakopoulos was blunt. It told him to take care what he wished for, and said that if what was stolen were returned, the trophy cabinet of his club and the well-known little table at Sounion would fill with cobwebs instead of trophies.

“Be careful what you wish for.”

To Vima reported that the club had announced legal moves over his social media posts. The statement's postscripts added that everything had been recorded and that he would have to give convincing explanations.

Where things stand

To Vima noted that the statement did not name Giannakopoulos, although it was addressed to him. The club's statement ended with a third postscript saying that everything comes in its own time. Olympiacos has maintained that neither the club nor its people have any relation to the investigation.