While Panathinaikos, managed by Ergin Ataman, was facing Maccabi Tel Aviv in a friendly match in the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus, a scandalous banner that was opened in the last quarter of the match attracted attention.
Ergin Ataman, who had himself disqualified and went to the locker room after the Greek fans held a banner reading “Years of illegal occupation. We do not forget”, published a written statement on the subject.
In a statement he made on his social media account, Ataman said, “Yesterday, in the hall where sports and friendship should prevail, a political banner was opened by a group, which I find unbecoming of the hospitality we see here. I reacted in the harshest way to draw attention to this situation.”
The experienced head coach, who used the expressions “Gyms are not places for politics, but for friendship and peace,” said, “I know that the people who opened this banner will not affect the feelings of the thousands of people who have shown love for me and my team since the first day. There will always be a very special love between us and them. Likewise, no matter what happens, my love for the real basketball fans here will always remain the same. Because the strongest thing that brings us together with them is our love for basketball. I believe that the winners will always be sports and friendship.”
Stating that they were welcomed very well in Nicosia, where they came for the special tournament, Ataman said:
“As the head coach of Panathinaikos Club during its legendary success last season, I supported the tournament my team will play here because I thought it would contribute to friendship and peace, and I came here with very good feelings. We were welcomed very warmly at the airport on the first day. The real love in people’s eyes made me very happy. I came together with hundreds of basketball fans at the autograph session we organized at the hotel. This atmosphere of friendship and peace was very promising for all of us.”
2024-09-17 07:37:37