Police investigate referee attack

Greek police have launched an official investigation into an assault on the referee of Sunday's match between Panathinaikos FC and Olympiakos Piraeus FC by home staff and supporters following the game in Athens.

Facial wounds
Moments after blowing the final whistle, referee Ioakim Efthymiadis was surrounded by irate Panathinaikos fans and officials, including the president Angelos Phillipides and the coach Sergio Markarian. In the mêlée Efthymiadis’s face was bloodied as blows rained down on him and he had to be led from the field requiring medical attention.

Late penalty
The dispute erupted after Efthymiadis awarded a 93rd-minute penalty to Olympiakos which allowed the visiting team to equalise against the UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists and draw the heated Athens derby 1-1.

Protected by players
It also appeared as though Panathinaikos players were involved in the attack, but that now seems unlikely. Two of their players in particular – Nikolaos Liberopolous and Leonidas Vokolos - were seen to be attempting to protect the referee. Instead the referee's report states that he was struck by Christos Karvounidis, Panathinaikos's physiotherapist, and Gabriel Molnar, Markarian’s assistant.

EPO Condemnation
The Greek Football Federation (EPO) condemned the attack on the referee and dismissed calls from Phillipides for a suspension of the Greek league. "It does them [Panathinaikos] no credit to launch a hopeless attempt to use a football match to create a political issue and to call on the prime minister to suspend the league," an EPO statement said.

'Worthy of contempt'
"The events at the Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium were isolated and worthy of the contempt of all football fans in the country. The chilling scenes - foremost the cowardly attack on the referee - cannot under any circumstances be allowed to undo recent improvements," the statement added.

'Sorry for Panathinaikos'
Greece's sports minister, Ioannis Kourakis, demanded those involved in the incident be brought to justice. "We must defend the best league that we have had in years," he said. "I am sorry for Panathinaikos, a great club which does not deserve this kind of behaviour from its own people." Greece coach Otto Rehaggel, who was at the match, said: "It’s the first time in my life that I've seen such behaviour on a football field."

Possible suspension
Panathinaikos could face a fine and anything up to a four-match suspension from their home stadium for the assault, missile throwing and vandalism. Phillipides and Markarian may also be sanctioned.

Georgiou injured
Besides the referee, several Olympiakos players were hurt in the tunnel after the match, and substitute goalkeeper Angelos Georgiou suffered a deep cut in the cheek and he was transferred to the hospital, where he underwent plastic surgery. Defender Georgios Anatolakis suffered a broken toe.

Widespread destruction
The match which saw Olympiakos slip to second in the table, one point behind AEK Athens, was marred before kick-off by widespread destruction of the stands by home and away supporters, while one Olympiakos supporter was taken to hospital at half-time after falling from the protective railings bordering the pitch.