Panagiotis Giannakis dismissed from Aris BC amid Basketgate investigation

Panagiotis Giannakis, the former head coach of Aris BC, has officially ended his collaboration with the club following recent developments in the 'Basketgate' investigation. His manager, Marios Olympios, confirmed the termination of their partnership on March 21, 2018, following a meeting with Aris BC executives.

The controversy stems from a match between Aris and Pharos Larissa on March 17, 2018, during which Giannakis was ejected from the game. The incident is central to an investigation involving allegations of financial misconduct aimed at ensuring Pharos Larissa's survival in the league. Specifically, allegations have surfaced regarding a potential 5,000 euro payment to referee Tasos Piloidis to favor the Larissa team.

Giannakis has expressed his intention to testify regarding the allegations, which involve six industry officials and the president of the Hellenic Basketball Federation, Vangelis Liolios. The manager of Giannakis noted that the coach's dismissal was driven by emotional rather than professional reasons, highlighting the broader impact of the scandal on the basketball community.