Dimitris Giannakopoulos is the owner of Greek basketball club Panathinaikos and recently earned his team a 150,000 Euro fine for straight up losing his mind on the referees after a Euroleague playoff game against CSKA Moscow. Giannakopoulos apparently burst into the referees locker room—after a win, no less—hurled a decorative candle at one of them and then unleashed a torrent of verbal abuse that would make Bryan Price blush. He threatened to kill the referees—we're working from least insane to most insane, by the way—kill their families, and alternatively, to fuck their mothers, wives and children.Specifically, Giannakopoulos is quoted in the referees' report as saying "I'll kill you. You will not leave Greece tonight alive! I promise you this from my eyes." Which is just nuts; imagine someone promising you something from their eyes! He left after that, but came back and got even more insane. "I'll fuck your mother, your wife, your children in front of you!" Here, see for yourself:
The whole game sounds like it was a shitshow, as fans were disruptive all game, flashing lasers on the court, using sound crackers, and cursing at the refs. Two years ago, Giannakopoulos made similar threats to referees at halftime, again telling them "you will not leave this place." This guy… maybe this guy should not own a basketball team?[Eurohoops]
Advertisement