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Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos has responded to Evan Fournier’s recent comments about the atmosphere surrounding the rivalry between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos.

In his interview with Upset Media, Fournier criticized the environment in Greek basketball and suggested that Giannakopoulos contributes to the tension between the clubs by creating an unhealthy atmosphere.

Giannakopoulos rejected those remarks and pointed to Fournier’s controversial gesture during the 2025 Greek League Finals, questioning how basketball could improve if such incidents go unpunished.

“How could basketball not devolve into chaos when there are players who pretend they wank themselves in front of fans – and they don’t get punished for it.”