Stavros Nikolaos Ligris Senior Thesis 2025 by Boston University Academy

Stavros Nikolaos Ligris

How AEK, Panathinaikos, and Olympiakos Reflect Athens’ Social Divisions

I: Introduction

For most, if not all, sports have an unwavering ability to integrate into the daily parts of our lives. Whether actively engaging in them by playing, partaking in one, or merely encountering one through or bypassing one. In today's world, specifically in the United States, participating in some correlation with sport is at an all-time high. Viewing for games is up, and more and more people are becoming active 1, particularly with the rise of gym culture 2 and even a new dimension to sports, such as sports gambling 3. Yet, the more profound significance of sport in itself often goes unnoticed. In the United States of America, sports are frequently seen through a lens of commercialism, obsessed with the spectacle that can be sold to fans through tickets, merchandise, etc, all with the attitude of generating immense profits and revenue. Not caring about the fans. However, in Europe, the Balkans, and specifically Greece, sports carry a more profound meaning in both a social and cultural aspect, in addition to the political significance that ultimately transcends sports beyond the boundaries of the court and field. In short, it just means more.

Athens, the capital of Greece, is known to be a city of the cradle of civilization and a beacon of historical and cultural

1 “Changes in Physical Inactivity among Us Adults Overall and by Sociodemographic Characteristics, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2020 versus 2018.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 July 2023, www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2023/23_0012.htm. Accessed 05 Jan. 2025.

2 Midgley, Ben. “The Six Reasons the Fitness Industry Is Booming.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 12 Oct. 2022, www.forbes.com/sites/benmidgley/2018/09/26/the-six-reasons-the-fitnessindustry-is-booming/. Accessed 05 Jan. 2025.

3 Schlachter, Thomas. “How the US Became Hooked on Sports Betting – and the Cost It’s Having on Lives.” CNN, Cable News Network, 3 May 2024, edition.cnn.com/2024/05/03/sport/sports-betting-usa-impact-on-lives-sptintl/index.html. Accessed 05 Jan. 2025.

significance. However, dating back to Ancient Greece, it has also been the backyard of generations of sporting legacy. As I previously mentioned, sports are more than just a game. In Greece, they are reflections of one's identity and pride, and they foster community. With nearly half of Greece's population living within the Athens Metro area 4 (Attica), Athens has become a diverse city boasting the sports scene of the best teams in the region and the nation. Now, I know I will be looking in particular at the aspect of soccer, though what is worth mentioning is that in Greece and Europe, there are not numerous teams representing one city and one sport. By this, I mean that for the city of Boston, we have the New England Patriots for Football, The New England Revolution for Soccer, The Boston Bruins for Hockey, The Red Sox for Baseball, and the Celtics for Basketball. In Greece, for example, Panathinaikos is a soccer team and a club with divisions in other sports. For example, there is Panathinaikos BC's basketball team, Panathinaikos women's soccer, Panathinaikos men and women's volleyball, Panathinaikos track and field, among others, and what's interesting to note is that the soccer and basketball teams are separately owned. However, they have the same fanbases and principles, whereas the rest of the sports fall under the ownership of Panathinaikos AO. In general, this is how all teams work in Greece, though. Anyway, here (in Athens), four significant teams have come to power over the rest, though only three are the ones that dominate the most. Those three are AEK Athens, with their roots in the refugee communities that fled Asia Minor to Athens, Panathinaikos the team that prospered under the unification of the prosperous central Athenian neighborhoods, And Olympiakos, one 4 Kostoulas, Vassilis. “Half of the Population Lives in a Small Part of the Country.” eKathimerini.Com, 23 Jan. 2024, www.ekathimerini.com/news/1228484/half-of-the-population-lives-in-attica/. Accessed 05 Jan. 2025.

of the biggest in Greece from the working-class port area of Piraeus.

However, the principle here is to understand that these clubs are not just to serve athletics; they are not just entities if that makes sense; they are deeply tied to Athens's social and historical identity. They represent neighborhoods, communities, socioeconomic classes, and historical narratives, all of which ultimately reflect Athens' social divisions through their rivalries amongst teams. They are all backed by their ultras fan groups. This paper will delve into the foundations of these teams and list their unique story, rivalries, and identities, boiling it down to how the teams mirror Athens' complex social structure and ultimately exploring the broader implications of sports as a cultural and societal tool. Through this lens, the football clubs in Athens and primarily these four serve as powerful symbols of the city's divisions and, more so, the ever-so-evolving identity.

II: The Founding of The Teams.

As detailed in my introduction, I will solely examine three specific examples of teams in Athens. These include AEK, Olympiakos, and Panathinaikos. In terms of the foundations of the teams, I will start with Panathinaikos, as they are the team that I have come to support throughout my life. Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos, better known as either Panathinaikos or just PAO, was founded in 1908 5 in Athens, Greece. Panathinaikos has been a crucial part of Greek football and sport in general, Greek society, and European sport through its one hundred and seventeen years of existence as an organization. The team, also known for their elaborate history and significance in Greek Culture, also boasts a reputation of garnering the support of the Greek elite as they are heavily associated with the team, ultimately gained through the

5 Panathinaikos’ History.” Pao.Gr, Panathinaikos Football Club, www.pao.gr/en/history/events/. Accessed 05 Jan. 2025.

areas and neighborhoods of which the team has ties to due to it is founding and their role in the Greek Socio-Political Landscape. Now, The story has it that on February Third, 1908, Giorgos Kalafatis, an athlete, member, and captain of the Πανελλήνιος Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος (Meaning The Pan-Hellenic Gymnastic Association) a well-known sports group in Greece, left the Association and founded Panathinaikos 6. He did this with friends and teammates after they became dissatisfied with the lack of focus on football (Soccer) at the time within their former club and after encountering the sport at the Olympics that summer. However, the name of the team Kalafatis initially founded was not Panathinaikos. Instead, it was Ποδοσφαίρικος Oμιλος

(meaning Football Club of Athens) or POA for short. Though coming to find out that they were among the only soccer/football clubs in Athens, they sought to create a name that embodied that vision, as later the team name was changed to Παναθηναϊκός

Αθλητικός Όμιλος (meaning All of Athens Athletic Club) The team went on to adopt the green and white as their color and the Green clover/shamrock as their logo 7 . Now, the reason behind this is supposedly due to their symbolization of unity 8 and growth. In context with the team, unifying a city and growing a sport, a club, and a country. Though another theory is that the shamrock was chosen and it’s green and white colors, was due to them being the ones that resonated the most with the elites then, as the Society at

6 Modulepos, Savas. “Γιώργος

Soccer Greece, www.e-soccer.gr/afieromata/prosopikotites/item/6344-giorgoskalafatis-o-idritis-tou-panathinaikou. Accessed 05 Jan. 2025.

.gr.

.Gr, www.sansimera.gr/articles/400. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

8 Rankel, Kiersten. “ Symbolism and Benefits of the Shamrock.” Greg App , Greg App , 18 June 2024, greg.app/shamrock-benefits/. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

the time viewed Panathinaikos and sport as a source of progress and modernity.

Above: First Team Logo 9 Above: Current Team Logo10

I know I keep harping on this notion of elitism surrounding the club, but that all comes down to this. Panathinaikos was regarded as a club of the wealthy and powerful in society 11 . Panathinaikos drew members and supporters from the city's upper and middle classes because of its location in affluent areas of central Athens, including Kolonaki and later around the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium on Alexandras Avenue. A good way to think about it is that in the center of Athens, most of the elites would live in Neighborhoods such as Kolonaki, Kifissia, Ekali, Psychiko, etc. Since the team's stadium and fan base are primarily based here rather than in working-class parts of Athens like Piraeus or Immigrant communities like Menidi, that is how the elitism

9 Panathinaikos Logo.” 1000 Logos The Famous Logos and Popular Company Logos in the World Panathinaikos Logo Comments, 1000logos.net/panathinaikos-logo/. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panathinaikos_F.C.#/media/File:Panathinaikos_F. C._logo.svg

Newsbeast, 17 Mar. 2012, www.newsbeast.gr/sports/arthro/317874/pos-proekupsan-taprosonumia-vazelos-kai-gauros.

background came to life as the club was viewed as a sophisticated substitute for more working-class teams like Olympiakos, which was based in the industrial port of Piraeus, by the political, cultural, and commercial elite of Athens, who lived in these neighborhoods. Regarding European Success, Panathinaikos is undoubtedly the most tenured of all the teams in Greece. The club's first European mainstage breakthrough occurred in their 1971 Uefa European Cup run, known today as the Champions League. The greens went to the final, which took place in the iconic Wembley Stadium in London, England. Fun fact about Wembley: it is known as the home of football and is considered the most iconic stadium in the world 12 . Though Panathinaikos would lose the final to the incredible Ajax team containing the likes of Prime Johan Cryuff, they had indeed made their mark on European soccer. Known as the presvis in Greek (The Ambassadors in English), Panathinaikos has made over 400 European appearances, has made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League on two other occasions, such as 1985 and 1995, losing out to Liverpool and Ajax, and also beating the likes of Barcelona at home in Leoforos in the quarterfinals in 2001. In other sports like basketball, Panathinaikos is one of the most decorated basketball clubs in all of Europe, in second place with 8 European titles, second only to the Great Spanish giants Real Madrid, who have 11.

In terms of today, the team still maintains these dualities of not just a team but also a vehicle as a unifier across social classes, and still navigating their perceptions across the country is truly unique. Despite financial troubles post-2016, the club and its owner, Giannis Alafouzos, have made a remarkable comeback. Currently under Coach Rui Viotoria Panathinaikos is now in consecutive European Competitions, the Uefa Europa League, and the Uefa Conference League. It Boasts a star Studded team of

12 https://www.olympics.com/ioc/news/empire-stadium-wembley-stadium

Greek Talents such as Fotis Ioannidis, Anastasios Bakasetas, and Georgios Vagiannidis, among others from the εξοτερικο such as Mateus Tete and Facundo Pellistri 13 . The team and its future are looking bright, and results on the pitch prove that, such as wins vs Olympique Marseille 14, Villareal, RC Lens, and Ajax, among others.

Next on the list, as I will now go in alphabetical order, is AEK Athens.

Known simply as AEK, AEK is an abbreviation for Αθλητική Ένωση Κωνσταντινουπόλεως (meaning in English, Athletic Union of Constantinople). In terms of the clubs foundation, AEK was founded by Greek Refugees from Asia Minor who fled persecution and death during the Greco- Turkish war of 1919-1922 and later the Catastrophe of Smyrna, to go to Greece and have a better life. The club was founded in the year of 1924 15, with a main goal of persevering the culture and identity from Asia Minor within these displaced Greeks in Athens. Most if not all of these refugees were forced to start over again from nothing in refugee neighborhoods such as Nea Filadelfia, and Nea Ionia, and while times were tough, especially after losing

13 Super League 1:

ProtoThema, 12 Sept. 2024, www.protothema.gr/sports/article/1539848/super-league-1-o-panathinaikos-ipio-akrivi-omada-tou-protathlimatos-xeperase-ta-100-ekat-euro-i-axia-touroster-tou/. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

14 UEFA.com. “History: Panathinaikos 1-0 Marseille: UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Qualif. 3.” UEFA.Com, www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/2038906 panathinaikos-vsmarseille/. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

Oneman.Gr, Oneman.gr, 19 Sept. 2024, www.oneman.gr/athlitika/oisimantikoteres-stigmes-stin-spoudaia-istoria-tis-aek/.

everything, the people came together as one and bonded over the team, making it the pride of the Asia Minor community in Athens and Across Greece 16 . Thus, following this unity, the results started to come on the field. AEK not only was a successful football team on the field, but also a multicultural organization away from it. They were a platform for young Constantinople Greek kids to lace up their cleats and play on the weekends, a beacon of hope for people who had lost everything. And ultimately built a community for fans and players alike. Throughout the clubs history, the club has upheld a strong sense of civic responsibility, as with the Greek Refugee crisis especially, the club would host fundraisers, charitable events etc., and overall the clubs values include solidarity, equality among others 17. Overall AEK’s supporters are known for having a strong bond with their team. And this shows as throughout the club's existence, the club has gone through good and bad times. From Champions League Nights vs AC Milan 18 and Real Madrid, to being relegated to the fourth division of Greece for debt issues. Though to these fans it didn't matter as AEK Represented something more. In terms of modern-day AEK, the team has competed in Europa League and Champions League group stage matches again, recording impressive victories vs the

16 “History | AEK F.C. Official Website.” Η Ιστορια Της ΑΕΚ, AEK FC, www.aekfc.gr/hp/i-istoria-mas-42825.htm?lang=en&path=-234507649. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

17 Vergkou, Dimitris. Ιστορίες

Μέρη, Gazzetta GR, specials.gazzetta.gr/football/istories-apo-tis-filadelfias-ta-meri/index.html. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

18 UEFA.com. “History: AEK Athens 1-0 Milan: UEFA Champions League 2006/07 Group Stage.” UEFA.Com, www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/84822 aek-athens-vs-milan/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

likes of Brighton and Hove Albion 19, among others like GNK Dinamo Zagreb. The team has a star-studded line up for Greece, containing former premier League ballers like Anthony Martial, and Erik Lamela 20, all coached by legendary Argentine football figure Matias Almeyda. The club also has a good financial record now having recently sold Trinidad and Tobago international Levi Garcia to Spartak Moscow in a club record deal worth over 20 million Euros last month 21. The club also won the double in the 2022-2023 season 22 marking a remarkable 13-point comeback in the table overtaking Panathinaikos, and a new page in the club's history.

Olympiakos FC, was founded on March 10, 1925, in Piraeus, the biggest and most important port city in Greece 23 . Overall The team represents the tenacity of the working class and the spirit of hardworking port laborers. Though this is something that I will go more in-depth on later on. in terms of who founded the team, The Andrianopoulos brothers, who came from a family of affluent merchants, founded the club with the goal of using

19 Stone, Simon. “Brighton & Hove Albion 2-3 AEK Athens: Seagulls Stunned on Europa League Debut.” BBC Sport, BBC, 21 Sept. 2023, www.bbc.com/sport/football/66869817.

20 Davis, Callum. “Anthony Martial Completes AEK Athens Move after Leaving Manchester United.” The New York Times, The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/athletic/5642967/2024/09/19/anthony-martial-aek-athens/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

21 “ΑΕΚ: Πουλήθηκε

ΝΑΥΤΕΜΠΟΡΙΚΗ, 7 Feb. 2025, www.naftemporiki.gr/sports/1907234/aekpoylithike-stin-spartak-moschas-o-livai-gkarsia/.

22 “ΑΕΚ: Πανηγύρισε Το

Μετά Από 45 Χρόνια.” SPORT24, 24 May 2023, www.sport24.gr/football/aek-panigirise-to-ntampl-meta-apo-45-xronia/.

23 “Ιστορία.” ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΣ - Olympiacos.Org, www.olympiacos.org/istoria/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

athletics to spread the values of the ancient Olympic Games 24: Olympics, hence Olympiakos. There is no C in Greek and as thus their name is written with a K. In terms of their supporters, Strength, tenacity, and camaraderie, all values that surrounded the club and were pushed by the Andrianopoulos brothers. Also all values which the port laborers had as well. Subsequently Olympiakos swiftly emerged as the group of working-class merchants, shipbuilders, and dockers of Piraeus, whose everyday existence was centered on the port's endless hard work. Throughout their history they have been considered one of the topdogs of Greek soccer, and that shows with their 47 Greek League wins 25. Olympiakos was the dominant force in Greek football in history due to the team's quick ascent to the top, frequently beating more affluent or aristocratic teams like Panathinaikos. Their arch nemesis in the Greek league is Panathinaikos, and this reflects in the Derby of Eternal enemies in which the Gate 7 ultras (Olympiakos Ultra group) and Olympiakos, go up against Panathinaikos and (Gate 13) their ultra group. Gate 7, one of the most passionate fan communities in Europe, represents the steadfast devotion and the overall nature of Olympiakos fans, guaranteeing that the team will always be a representation of working-class pride they were founded on 26. And these factors come together to make derby day a significant part of the greater

24 NouPou.gr. “Οι

- Www.Noupou.Gr, 2 Aug. 2022, www.noupou.gr/stories/olimpiakos-istoria/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.

25 Afp, and Afp. “Olympiakos Secure Greek Title for 47th Time.” SportsDesk, 4 May 2022, sport.timesofmalta.com/2022/05/04/olympiakos-secure-greek-titlefor-47th-time/.

26 Kay, Oliver. “Derby Days, Athens: The Derby of the Eternal Enemies.” The New York Times, The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/athletic/4257563/2023/02/28/derby-days-athens-olympiacospanathinaikos/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

European sporting culture. In terms of recent history, Olympiakos has been in remarkable form domestically and on the continent. The squad has boasted a cumulative transfer value of at least, and or over, one hundred million euros for the past decade straight. The red and white team has contained the names of legendary global icons such as Rivaldo, Giovanni, Marcelo, and James Rodriguez 27 , in addition to Premier League stars such as Daniel Podence and Kostas Tsimikas. In terms of the club's academy, they boast arguably the best in Greece, potentially only second to PAOK Thessaloniki. With a recent rise in talented Greek youth, there is a significant correlation between Olympiakos and this academy. Much of this meteoric rise is attributed to Olympiakos Under 19's conquering the 2023-2024 UEFA Youth League title 28, the highest level of Intra European Youth Football. Following this success, the club now has abundant emerging talent, such as rising stars Charalambos Kostoulas, Christos Mouzakitis, Antonis Papakanellos, and Stavros Pnevmonidis. These talented players not only bolster the already skilled squad but can also be forms of future revenue for the club if sold, in particular, Kostoulas and Mouzakitis have caught the attention of the biggest clubs in the continent, such as Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Aston Villa 29 . The 2023-2024 season for Olympiakos was special for

27 OneFootball. “James Rodriguez Reunited with Marcelo at Olympiakos.” OneFootball, onefootball.com/en/news/james-rodriguez-reunited-with-marceloat-olympiakos-35838703. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

28 “The Youth of Olympiacos Are Europe’s Champions!” ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΣOlympiacos.Org, 23 Apr. 2024, www.olympiacos.org/en/2024/04/22/the-youthof-olympiacos-are-europe-s-champions/.

29 Labellarte, Giuseppe. “Arsenal, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest among Clubs Eyeing Young Duo Including ‘Complete Forward’ Likened to Karim Benzema.” TBR Football, 27 Feb. 2025, tbrfootball.com/arsenal-tottenham-andnottingham-forest-among-clubs-eyeing-young-duo-including-complete-forwardlikened-to-karim-benzema/.

their youth teams and the senior squad. Although the club did not win the Greek League or Cup, they had a fairytale run through the Uefa Europa Conference League, and in the final in Athens, beat Fiorentina FC from Florence, with a late extra-time winner courtesy of Moroccan International Striker Ayoub El Kaabi 30. It was a win that was the first European title for Olympiakos and any Greek team in general. A win that not only re-wrote the history book of Olympiakos but instead marked a new chapter for Greek football in the future.

III: Social Divisions

With these teams and their backgrounds now come social and class differences amongst their fan bases and people. By this, I mean that In most cases, fans of Greek teams become fans of that team in particular based on where they are from or their family in particular, and then it gets passed down from generation to generation. An example of this class difference I am referring to would be Panathinaikos of the Upper and Upper middle class vs. Olympiakos, the middle class and laborers of the south. As I have stated previously, these teams each represent a background, and they all come into a tense relationship with one another. And this is how we have the derbies that make Greek soccer unique. With a fantastic fan atmosphere, the city is at a standstill in these matches. In particular, the Derby of Eternal Enemies is that of Panathinaikos vs Olympiakos. With the additions of AEK, it becomes an even more interesting case as these teams represent those who have been marginalized throughout society and serve their communities by challenging these other Athenian teams. In terms of what makes up a derby well, any of these four teams playing against one another is

30 Staff, The Athletic. “Olympiacos Beat Fiorentina to Win Europa Conference League.” The New York Times, The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/athletic/5527275/2024/05/29/olympiacos-europa-conferenceleague-final/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

considered a derby. However, the biggest ones are Panathinaikos vs Olympiakos and Panathinaikos vs AEK.

IV: Culture Differences

What is interesting to note is the difference in fan culture between the different teams.

This graph shows the disparities in income across Athenian neighborhoods and how that correlates with fandom across teams and areas. In the higher income areas such as Kolonaki and Psychiko, there is a majority of Panathinaikos fans, though they are not the most affiliated with the sport. Meanwhile, in lower-income areas such as Menidi and Nea Filadelfeia, predominantly Aek fans, we see a larger increase in football affiliation, showing that football/soccer fandom cannot be bought and truly comes from passion. We also see how rises in Olympiakos and Panionios fans come from the south of Athens in the Piraeus and Palaio Faliro areas listed on the graph and in the Nea Smyrni neighborhood not pictured. Now, another aspect of cultural differences in the teams arise from Tradition and those surrounding the teams.

Examples include AEK and Their Double-headed eagle logo as a symbol of Byzantium and their Heritage there with the patriarch of Constantinople 31. You also have their colors of Yellow and Black, which also come from their time in Constantinople. Having attended an AEK home game in their new stadium, it is very apparent that they are trying to maintain their traditions in this modern age; there are numerous photos of historical figures of the club on the walls, the ultras have had banners honoring former players and messages that the club would stand for, and even had a yellow and black tifo before kick-off, they also had an eagle the club mascot fly around the stadium before the game started as they are only on of 2 teams besides Benfica and Besiktas to do this pregame.

Olympiakos is similar to AEK regarding the match-day experience and keeping their traditions alive. Instead of hiding from their background as traditional port laborers and the working class, they embrace it. The club annually holds its jersey releases and any celebrations by the Port of Piraeus and the local theater. When the team won the Uefa Europa Conference League last season, parading across the city and with the players and team officials playing traditional Piraeus music, such as 'Pireaua Mou' and the "Seas of Piraeus." Regarding Panathinaikos, the club has recently undergone a brand change with new Adidas collections emphasizing their history within Athens with lines fully embracing the all of Athens part of their name. Recently, the club has also honored past legendary players at half time every game, bringing together former stars like Dimitris Saravakos and Georgios Karagounis. The club also does a lot of charity work in the center of Athens, helping out the less fortunate and maintaining the club's reputation for all the people, with the founding of the Pao alliance.

31 “Εμπρός

ΠΑΟΚ.” Pronews.Gr, 24 Jan. 2016, www.pronews.gr/athlitismos/387997_empros-aete-dikefale-symvolo-emvlimatis-aek-kai-toy-paok/. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

V: Politics, Scandals and Corruption

Similarly to many other aspects of Greek life, Politics are ever so apparent in Greek soccer, as (not to harp on this again, but) ultimately, the sport has become a symbol of a broader social and economic background. Now, what is key to note here is that there are the major players here that dictate this realm of politics in Greek football, and no, by players, I do not mean the ones on the field but rather instead the owners of the very teams here. Major team owners such as Evangelos Marinaikis of Olympiakos, Dimitris Melissanidis (Former owner of Aek, who recently just sold to Marios Iliopoulos this season in an unexpected move), Ivan Savvidis (the owner of PAOK, a team in Thessaloniki, Greece second most crucial city located up in the north of the country), and Giannis Alafouzos (of Panathinaikos), all hold significant influence within the country beyond the scope of soccer, whether that be with political connections, and interests, or the fact of their businesses often intertwining with both politics and sports together. Ultimately, this nexus of power, coupled with the various scandals and fan situations, has plagued Greek soccer and ultimately caused it to become a uniquely politicized sport. So, who are these owners, and what are their political ties?

I will start with Evangelos Marianikis. Marinaikis is a Greek shipping and media mogul, though he is also the most controversial figure in the Greek sports scene. He owns numerous teams around the globe, though his team domestically is Olympiakos. He has been charged numerous times with corruption, match-fixing, and illegal trafficking of narcotics, and yet he is always scot-free 32. Politically, there are rumors that he helped elect Prime Minister Mitsotakis, though this is not proven to be true, whereas Mitsotakis was caught spying on Marinaikis with the

32 Stamouli, Nektaria. “Greece Tackles Political Football.” POLITICO, 25 Feb. 2020, www.politico.eu/article/greece-tackles-political-football/. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

Greek intelligence agency. Back to football, Marinaikis is also a figure who believes that the whole Greek league is corrupt against Olympiakos, even going on the record to say, "Our tolerance today is coming to an end. My proposal is for Olympiakos to withdraw from the Greek league and at the same time to appeal to the Greek courts where the extent of corruption in Greek football will be highlighted” 33 . All of this and that barely even touches the surface about him. He also owns Premier League side Nottingham Forest and has established an unofficial trading connection between the two clubs 34 .

As I previously stated, the long-term owner of AEK was the shipping tycoon Melissanidis, who has also been a controversial figure. Drawing on the team's past as a club established by refugees from Asia Minor, AEK Athens has developed a strong anti-authoritarian and leftist image under his direction. However, Melissanidis has come under fire for his tight connections to political figures and potential financial fraud linking him to money from numerous foreign accounts, especially now following his sale of the club 35 . The club's reputation as a socially concerned organization was damaged when AEK's new stadium in

33 Vou, Andreas. “The Murky World of Greek Football, Part I: Evangelos Marinakis (Olympiacos) - Andreas Vou.” DiEM25, 13 Sept. 2023, diem25.org/the-murky-world-greek-football-part-evangelos-marinakisolympiacos/. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

34 Taylor, Paul. “Marinakis’ Behaviour at Nottingham Forest Is Shaped by His Experiences at Olympiacos.” The New York Times, The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/athletic/5445675/2024/04/26/marinakis-forest-olympiacospremier-league/. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

35 Forbesgreece.gr. “ΑΕΚ:

Forbesgreece.Gr, 11 June 2024, www.forbesgreece.gr/forbes-elliniki-ekdosi/3816764/aek-giati-apoxorei-o-dmelissanidis-kai-ti-apokta-o-marios-iliopoulos-oikonomika-stoixeia. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

Nea Filadelfeia was built, and suspicions of using harsh tactics against local opposition surfaced 36 .

Next is Giannis Alafouzos, the owner of Panathinaikos. Mr. Alafouzos bought the team in 2012 when Pao was crippled in debt. However, throughout his ownership, that is the main issue. Under his ownership, Panathinaikos was excluded from intraEuropean competitions due to their debts, a factor which has only recently improved. Besides this, Alafouzos, the owner of various media outlets, including TV channels, Newspapers, etc, has been a long-term critic of Marinaikis and the corruption that had taken place within the game in Greece. In interviews he gave with foreign media outlets, he said, "In Greece, we have a culture of violence. The rule of law does not apply, unfortunately. We had a situation where we had corruption, a struggling economy, one team dominating, and a violent culture among the fans. People did not go to games. Sponsors walked away"

37 .

Regarding his political views, Alafouzos does not mainly take a side. However, at his level, he is gaining more influence in politics and economics as his business has become more intertwined with politics. This has led to political parties such as PASOK and SYRIZA considering him a reliable advocate 38 .

Lastly, I won't cover the owners of Panionios as a new ownership group recently bought them out, and I do not know much about them. Still, a massive giant in Greek soccer is the owner of PAOK, one of the biggest teams in Greece and the

VICE, 2 Aug. 2024, www.vice.com/el/article/isws-kai-nahtan-kalytera-na-mhn-anoige-pote-tis-portes-toy-to-neo-ghpedo-ths-aek/.

37 Kottis, Alexandros. “The Infinite Chaos of Greek Football: How the Latest Hope for Change Was Lost.” BBC Sport, BBC, 24 Feb. 2022, www.bbc.com/sport/football/60483819. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

38 Fimotro.

Fimotro, 5 Feb. 2024, fimotro.gr/enischymenos-epicheirimatika-kai-politika-ogiannis-alafouzos/. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

biggest from the second-largest city of Thessaloniki in the Macedonia region. Now, PAOK is owned by Ivan Savvidis, a Russian oligarch of Greek descent. His parents were Pontian Greeks, hence this connection. Through his ownership of PAOK, in addition to formerly owning numerous tobacco companies and various media outlets, in addition to other business ventures, he has become a notorious political and economic powerhouse in northern Greece and Greece in general39. Savvidis might be more infamous for his actions in a crucial derby game of PAOK vs AEK in the 2018 season. I am referring to when he stormed onto the field in the middle of the game to confront the referee Georgios Kominos for ruling out a controversial goal in the 90'th minute, which would have seen PAOK win the championship. Now, what makes this situation worse is the fact that Savvidis was armed with his personal pistol on his hip and threatened the referee, saying to him what ultimately translates to, "You are finished." 40 Since that incident, Savvidis had been MIA from PAOK and Greek Sports in general, though until last year, when PAOK won the league, he was present for the celebrations. Unfortunately, these events, such as the one above from 2018, demonstrate the erratic character of Greek soccer and the unbridled authority of club owners. Now, in terms of the clubs and their fans, they too have similar political views as their owners, or all come together to align with one particular political view. For example, AEK fans and their ultras group, Gate 21 Original, are known for having extreme left-

39 Clapp, Alexander. “The New Greek Oligarchy.” The American Interest, 5 Jan. 2018, web.archive.org/web/20180105205653/https://www.the-americaninterest.com/2018/01/05/new-greek-oligarchy/. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

40 Smith, Helena. “Greek Superleague Suspended after Team Owner Invades Pitch with a Gun.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 12 Mar. 2018, www.theguardian.com/football/2018/mar/12/greek-football-match-stoppedafter-team-owner-invades-pitch-with-a-gun. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

wing beliefs and are anti-fascism41. This comes down to the club's founding as a refugee team and, through the years, these very hooligans have participated in protests against the government. Held up political banners and messages at home games and sometimes even resorted to violence to prove this point.

Olympiakos is a more complicated case as it is not unified politically, though, under Marinakis's administration, the club has taken a more conservative approach42 .

Panathinaikos is similar to Olympiakos in that sense. However, they have also opposed neoliberal policies and, in 2015, were the first ultras group with Gate 13 to publicly support the vote no with the EU bailout referendum amid the economic crisis that plagued Greece 43. Now, what is interesting to note is that all these teams have brotherhoods with other ultra groups of teams across Europe. By this, I mean that ultra groups with similar values and beliefs will come together with other ultra groups to form a brotherhood amongst fans. Examples are Panathinaikos and Rapid Vienna, Olympiakos and Red Star Belgrade, and AEK with Marseille44. And in a Brotherhood hooligan officials will have meetings, ultra groups will have similar banners in their fan section

41 “Ακροδεξιά Και Εξέδρα: Η

ΑΕΚ.” VICE, 2 Aug. 2024, www.vice.com/el/article/akrode3ia-kai-e3edra-h-periptwsh-ths-aek/.

42 The Open University.” Framing Financial Crisis and Protest: North-West and South-East Europe, www5.open.ac.uk/arts/research/finance-crisisprotest/comment-and-debate/football-politics-and-crisis-greece-1. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

43 “The Open University.” Framing Financial Crisis and Protest: North-West and South-East Europe, www5.open.ac.uk/arts/research/finance-crisisprotest/comment-and-debate/football-politics-and-crisis-greece-2. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

44 Litsardakis, Alexandros. “Brothers-in-Arms: The Balkan Hooligan Bonds Fuelling Violence.” Balkan Insight, 24 Jan. 2024, balkaninsight.com/2024/01/24/brothers-in-arms-the-balkan-hooligan-bondsfuelling-violence/.

in their home stadiums, fans will march together, and on social media have a joint presence. (These are just a few Examples)

One thing that has hindered the Greek game in the past is scandals and corruption. The big thing here is the Koriopolis match-fixing scandal, which saw 187 people, including referees, players, and team officials, all be charged with the help of the Greek Intelligence Services and UEFA 45. 2 first division teams were relegated and stripped of their professional team licenses, and the trust of millions of Greeks was lost. With the introduction of VAR, the suspicion of match-fixing and games being bought has lessened before they are installed. Those fears were still open, especially with Olympiakos and their owner Marinaikis being charged with it (match fixing) later on in Greek courts.

VI: Conclusion

While all these clubs differ in their findings, they ultimately unite to unify a diverse city full of millions of people. Now, it is evident that there will be points of conflict in such a diverse place with various perspectives and outlooks on life. Hence, the outcomes in Greek Football. Though to me, this seems natural. It makes sense that the level of football violence rose when Greece was in crisis. When you don't have much, you could look to your brothers (someone else who supported your team) and come together. You may not have agreed on everything, but you still would look to your clubs to provide a sense of community because football means everything. If you are struggling, it unifies you. Football Unified the world. While the situation is much better nowadays, there are still things that need to be improved. Panathinaikos president Alafouzo said it best: "It is a small minority. Kids without a hope. The social situation is degrading all

45 “Scandal Hangs over Greek Football.” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 24 June 2011, www.aljazeera.com/sports/2011/6/24/scandal-hangs-over-greek-football.

over Europe. There is this 20 percent becoming poorer and more desperate. They have not found ways of improving the lives of the less well-off. That is the breeding ground." 46 While the situation is improving, more still needs to be done. Uefa has brought in executives on orders of Alexsander Ceferin (the president of UEFA, the governing body of soccer in Europe), and we have seen improvements47. This improving outcome is also present in the quality of the game now. With the big five teams rising in levels, four have market values of over one hundred million euros, while the league is at an all-time high. Superstar players are leaving top clubs in England and Europe to join Greek clubs, Such as Anthony Martial, and Erik Lamela. Greek teams are succeeding more than ever, which has a trickle-down effect on the rest of the league. Even the national team is now at its highest level in the past 10 years. Under new leadership in the federation, the national team went toe to toe with the best of the best, even beating England at Wembley Stadium in a recent Nations League match. Though this progress marks only the beginning for the national team, following the Draw for the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers, the Ethniki is in a prime position to go back to the Fifa World Cup after over a tenyear hiatus. Ultimately, while the situation is improving, work still needs to be done to determine if there is any way to heal the scars of the past in the Greek game, as the effects of a social division playing out in the Caprial and cross the nation, all in all contributors to a larger division at the national level.

46 Bate, Adam. “Panathinaikos President Giannis Alafouzos on ‘culture of Violence’ in Greek Football and Finding a Way Through.” Sky Sports, www.skysports.com/football/news/11096/12991469/panathinaikos-presidentgiannis-alafouzos-on-culture-of-violence-in-greek-football-and-finding-a-waythrough. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

47 Newsroom. “UEFA’s Ceferin Calls on Europe to End ‘cancer’ of Soccer Violence.” eKathimerini.Com, 16 Aug. 2023, www.ekathimerini.com/sports/1217840/uefas-ceferin-calls-on-europe-to-endcancer-of-soccer-violence/. Accessed 06 Jan. 2025.

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Stavros Nikolaos Ligris Senior Thesis 2025

How AEK, Panathinaikos, and Olympiakos Reflect

Athens’ Social Divisions