ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's government has condemned a walkout by the basketball club Olympiakos during a Greek Cup semifinal game against rival Panathinaikos following complaints over the refereeing.
Olympiakos forfeited the game at Olympic Stadium in Athens on Wednesday, leaving at halftime and trailing 40-25. A spokesman for the team said he was "disgusted" with the quality of the refereeing.
The action handed Panathinaikos and American coach Rick Pitino a place in Sunday's cup final against PAOK in Crete.
Giorgos Vassiliadis, the deputy minister for sport, described the game as a "blow to the sport" but said he could not interfere with the referee selection process.
Pitino tweeted after the incident, "Well, in 42 years of coaching, I thought I had seen it all."
Well in 42 years of coaching I, thought I had seen it all. Up 15 at halftime. Motivating my team to come out with great intensity the first 5 minutes. We were fired up except Olympiakos never came back out. Game over. Onto the Greek Cup finals in Crete on Sunday #paobc
— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino)
February 13, 2019
