The war of words between Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus continued after Olympiacos head coach Georgios Bartzokas dismissed criticism of the EuroLeague Final officiating as “propaganda” and stated that great clubs do not focus on referees after defeats.
Panathinaikos quickly responded with a lengthy social media statement, accusing Bartzokas of hypocrisy and pointing to numerous past occasions when he publicly questioned officiating after losses against the Greens.
Panathinaikos’ message to Bartzokas on social media:
“To Mr. Georgios Bartzokas,
Beyond being ‘off-key,’ as you yourself admitted you are, stop also trying to rewrite history.
Even after winning the EuroLeague – something the whole world is now openly talking about – you still continue to concern yourself with Panathinaikos. Unfortunately, your mind cannot rest, and when asked about the statements made by the respected Mr. Sergio Scariolo, you once again brought up the greatest club in Europe, unprompted and without cause.”
The club also challenged Bartzokas’ claim that Olympiacos never discuss free throws or refereeing after losses, recalling previous incidents involving the club and several comments made by the coach over the years.
Among the examples cited were Bartzokas’ remarks following multiple defeats to Panathinaikos, in which he questioned officiating standards and free-throw discrepancies.
The statement ended with a strongly worded message aimed at the Olympiacos coach:
“Georgios Bartzokas, you are far too small to speak about Panathinaikos and its history.
Finally, be quiet. There is no need for you to keep justifying yourself anymore. All of Europe knows by now. Your whole life is a lie…”
The exchange marks the latest escalation in the long-running rivalry between Greece’s two basketball powerhouses.
Full statement: https://t.co/HwsEmRCYcM
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) May 29, 2026
