Panathinaikos and several fans are taking legal action against Olympiacos guard Evan Fournier following his obscene gesture in Game 3 of the Greek Finals. Fournier, who was ejected, now faces sanctions and a potential court case over his conduct.
The fallout from Game 3 of the Greek Basket League Finals between Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus continues to escalate, as the Greens and several of their supporters are pursuing legal action against Evan Fournier following his controversial ejection.
Evan Fournier
| Team: |
Olympiacos Piraeus |
| Position: | SG |
| Age: | 32 |
| Height: | 201 cm |
| Weight: | 93 kg |
| Birth place: | Saint-Maurice, France |
The French international and Olympiacos guard made an obscene gesture toward fans sitting in the courtside seats of OAKA Arena during the fourth quarter of Friday’s tense matchup.
The gesture, captured live on ERT’s national broadcast, immediately provoked a furious reaction from Panathinaikos fans, some of whom responded by throwing an advertising board onto the court. The chaos forced referees to temporarily halt play and send both teams back to their benches.
Fournier had already received an unsportsmanlike foul earlier in the game. The technical foul that followed his gesture led to his automatic ejection.
But the consequences may not stop there.
Shortly after the game, several Panathinaikos fans who were seated in the front row went directly to a local police station to file a formal complaint against Fournier. According to SDNA, those fans have pressed charges for offensive conduct, escalating the incident into a matter of legal concern.
Panathinaikos also issued a strongly worded official statement, announcing its intention to take full legal action against Fournier.
The club described the player's behavior as “the most provocative gesture in the history of professional basketball in Greece”, emphasizing that it would pursue every lawful measure in response.
“Panathinaikos BC will proceed with all legal actions as defined by Greek law, against Evan Fournier, who made the most offensive and provocative gesture ever witnessed in professional Greek basketball toward the fans of Panathinaikos,” the statement read.
The club’s management, still reeling from both the loss and the chaotic scenes inside OAKA, made it clear they do not intend to let the matter rest. The situation adds yet another layer of controversy to an already high-voltage Finals series, which has seen intense clashes on and off the court.
Fournier’s gesture was not the only flashpoint in Game 3. Panathinaikos coach Ergin Ataman and guard Kendrick Nunn were also ejected in the heated second half. Olympiacos ultimately won the game 99–88 and now leads the best-of-five series 2–1. Game 4 will be held in Piraeus, where the Reds have the opportunity to clinch the championship on home court this Sunday (20:00 CEST).
Whether Fournier will face any suspension or further disciplinary action ahead of Game 4 remains to be seen. However, Panathinaikos' legal pursuit suggests that the repercussions of his conduct could extend far beyond the basketball court.
Olympiacos reacted to PAO's announcement by vouching to present "rich material from OAKA" and "take all the necessary actions in order for the hooligans who attacked Evan Fournier and Giorgos Bartzokas to be presented to justice and judged according to the sports law."
"There will also be a wealth of material on Kendrick Nunn's dirty play," the Reds' release reads.
