Government spokesman for OSFP: “No targeting but a matter of timing – The attack was carried out by specific fans”

“No targeting or singling out a group. It’s a matter of timing”… This was clarified by the Government representative in response to a question he received regarding yesterday’s announcements by PAE Olympiacos.

Pavlos Marinakis, in fact, explained why Karaiskakis was decided to remain closed today. “The attack carried out by certain fans, whoever they are, has certainly been confessed by the natural perpetrator, from a portion of the organized fans against the police. So it was decided that a few days later, at the time when a young child was fighting for life, it was not safe to hold the fight with spectators. This is nothing more.”

The Government spokesman said – initially – that he recognizes the anger of the fans but pointed out that it is the duty of the government to ensure the presence of all those who want to continue going to the stadiums.

“We understand the anger of the real fans, they are the only ones who are not to blame. But we have a duty to make sure that those who go to the stadiums with their friends or their children are checked, know who is sitting next to them and that if someone breaks the rules, they are identified and brought to justice. It is the responsibility of the teams and PAEs to meet these specifications in order to open the stadiums safely. We believe that everyone who loves professional sports should be on the same page. The enemy is violence.” he mentioned and continued in response to Olympiakos’ announcement about “citizens of two categories”…

“There are no second-class citizens or second-class fans. Yes, you are referring to the group I support. I completely understand the heartbreak of someone who can’t go see their team. This decision is not a horizontal decision as is the case with Super League and Cup matches. It is a case-by-case decision given by the Act of Legislative Content with a joint ministerial decision to the ministers Deputy Minister of Sports and Minister of Citizen Protection, when it is judged for reasons of security and public order that a match is dangerous to be held with spectators. The reasoning given mainly by the Ministry of Citizen Protection but also the Ministry of Sports, and I think it has a basis, has to do with what happened a few weeks ago. The attack carried out by specific fans, whoever they are, has certainly been confessed by the natural perpetrator, from a portion of the organized fans against the police. So it was decided that a few days later, at the time when a young child was fighting for life, it was not safe to hold the fight with spectators. That is nothing more. There is no targeting of any group. It’s a matter of timing, security reasons, order measures and I say it again there is no targeting or separation of a group”.

Finally, he admitted that the possibility of keeping the organized gates closed and not the whole stadium was considered.

“We examined everything. If it were possible to fully ensure that who enters the stadium with full identification, perhaps what you suggested would be applicable. I am not saying that it would be the choice that the Government would take. This isn’t really an option when it could be, because there is simply no identity verification based on the name ticket. Let me give you an example: Someone who was at one of the organized gates, while they are closed, would have the possibility to go and buy a ticket and not alone, together with others, for any action he would like to do, in ports that would be open. So, where we would possibly make a move that would limit the problem, it would actually shift it, it might even make it bigger. Because while the majority of illegals may be in certain ports, with this closure they may shift to the remaining ports since there was no control. What problem would it solve? Would the implementation of two key conditions to open the stadiums: the installation of cameras and ID and e-ticket control begin without this two-month ultimatum? No. We would just sweep the problem under the rug. The only positive thing is that many fans would not have paid for those two months, but they might have paid more with the application of a measure that was half a meter. So it was weighted based on the real data and a decision was made which I say again is unfair to the people who without any responsibility buy tickets and support their team, they love it and they have never challenged. But I think that in the long run, and I hope we prove ourselves in practice, we protect them at whatever political cost of this decision, at least in the beginning that is taken“, concluded.