It is now only a matter of time before the Judicial Council decides whether Olympiacos FC president Vaggelis Marinakis and the club’s leadership will be sent to trial, following the proposal submitted by Athens Public Prosecutor Magdalini Kalpakidou.

According to the report presented by SKAI during its main news bulletin, the prosecutor’s recommendation is devastating, as she believes the club’s leadership is behind the criminal organization responsible for the incidents in Renti and the fatal injury of policeman Giorgos Lyggeridis. The report details the evidence and arguments used by the prosecutor to structure her recommendation, on the basis of which she requests the trial of Mr. V. Marinakis and his associates K. Karapapas, D. Agrafiotis, Mich. Kountouris, and G. Moralis for financing a criminal organization, inciting violence, and committing felonies.

The prosecutor’s recommendation

Specifically, in the prosecutor’s recommendation, the names of V. Marinakis and his four close associates appear alongside the names of more than 100 Olympiacos hooligans, who on the night of December 7, acting as a “pack of wolves” and with the blessing—as the prosecutor states—of the heads of the red-and-white club, launched an attack with murderous intent against police officers outside the “Melina Merkouri” indoor arena. Once they were certain of the fatal injury of 31-year-old policeman Giorgos Lyggeridis, they shouted and celebrated his cold-blooded murder.

Now, Ms. Kalpakidou’s recommendation to bring Vaggelis Marinakis, K. Karapapas, Dim. Agrafiotis, Mich. Kountouris, and Giannis Moralis to trial for financing this criminal organization, which “flourishes” within Olympiacos and even commits murders, is with the Judicial Council of Athens. It is only a matter of days before the council members issue their ruling, deciding whether the above-mentioned Olympiacos executives and its president Vaggelis Marinakis will sit in the dock of the criminal court to face charges of supporting-financing the criminal organization of their club’s hooligans, as well as inciting sports-related violence.

Watch SKAI’s report on the prosecutor’s recommendation to bring Marinakis to trial

The murdered policeman Giorgos Lyggeridis

All this comes as the trial of the 19-year-old accused by the justice system of physically committing the murder of the 31-year-old policeman is currently underway at the Piraeus Mixed Jury Court.

Olympiacos Leadership

Apart from the trial of the 19-year-old who fired the naval flare at Giorgos Lyggeridis and whatever decision is reached by the court judging him, the case file on the criminal actions of more than 100 Olympiacos hooligans, financed and supported, according to the prosecutor, by Vaggelis Marinakis and his associates, is now where the justice system is focusing its efforts. The evidence collected over all these months by police and judicial authorities is extensive and overwhelming.

Specifically, concerning Olympiacos’ leadership, Prosecutor Magdalini Kalpakidou, who recommended bringing Marinakis and his associates to trial, presents a series of facts.

Initially, the prosecutor describes in the first pages of her recommendation how the heads of the red-and-white club managed to “inflame” their supporters, causing them “to launch an organized attack against police forces,” exactly as occurred on the night of December 7, 2023, outside the “Melina Merkouri” arena.

Beginning her description of the shocking events, the prosecutor notes characteristically: “Specifically, at about 21:00 on 7.12.2023, a volleyball match was taking place at the Melina Merkouri Indoor Arena between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos teams, part of the League Cup quarter-finals. Around 500 Olympiacos fans attended the match, approximately 200 of whom, as established by depositions and video material, were organized supporters. At about 21:15, during the first set, roughly 150 Olympiacos fans, most of whom had their faces covered by full-face hoods, exited the arena, gathered on Alexandrou Papadiamanti street, created roadblocks by setting fire to three garbage bins, and at about 21:25, they jointly launched particularly violent and unprovoked attacks against the A-535 platoon of the Riot Police Unit, which was stationed at the intersection of Al. Papadiamanti and Agg. Sikelianou streets. The distant placement of this platoon from the match venue illustrates the unprovoked nature and strong intent of these organized supporters to execute their fierce attacks. Their actions were prompted by the anniversary marking 15 years since Alexandros Grigoropoulos’ death (6.12.2008) and their intention to continue the attacks initiated on 3.12.2023 at Panathinaiko Stadium shortly before and immediately after the football match between Volos and Olympiacos.”

As the prosecutor emphasizes, after that match, V. Marinakis, Ioannis Moralis, Michail Kountouris, and Konstantinos Karapapas released an announcement essentially preparing the atmosphere for what was to happen next outside the “Melina Merkouri,” where Giorgos Lyggeridis was murdered.

Ms. Kalpakidou highlights in her recommendation: “[Detailed translation of the announcement provided by Marinakis and associates, including references to ‘criminal organization,’ ‘mafia,’ ‘gang,’ ‘shame,’ ‘CORRUPT DEEP STATE,’ and ‘awaiting an unspeakable tragedy,’ etc.]” She concludes that with such expressions, Marinakis and his co-accused associates publicly incited Olympiacos fans to commit criminal and violent acts against the police.

“They knew everything”

According to the prosecutor, Marinakis and his associates were fully aware of the Olympiacos hooligans’ criminal organization, yet they financed and supported them.

The prosecutor specifically states: “[Detailed translation provided regarding financial support, recruitment of young members, distribution of tickets, access to stadiums, and other privileges provided to hooligans.]”

Blackmailing and the storage room at G. Karaiskakis for flares

The prosecutor also notes that Olympiacos leadership provided hooligans with access to a warehouse inside “Georgios Karaiskakis” Stadium, used to store banners, flares, smoke grenades, and objects for attacking police.

In addition, the prosecutor highlights organized blackmail operations against small vendors outside the stadium.

Moralis’ recruitments and daily wages to hooligans

Through Mayor Ioannis Moralis, certain hooligans were hired at the Municipality of Piraeus, receiving salaries of around 1,500 euros monthly, without actual work provided. Jobs were also arranged at Olympiacos’ official boutique and ticketing office.

Legal support too!

The prosecutor also reveals legal assistance provided to hooligans by Olympiacos’ leadership whenever they faced criminal charges.

How Giorgos Lyggeridis was murdered

According to judicial documents, Lyggeridis’ murder was committed during planned attacks by Olympiacos fans, involving explosives, molotov cocktails, flares, and stones. The attacks followed prior preparations by hooligans earlier that evening near “Georgios Karaiskakis.”

“Organized plan”

The judicial document describes the violence outside “Melina Merkouri” as a well-organized plan carried out by Olympiacos hooligans, explicitly aiming to seriously injure or kill police officers.