Sunday 17 March 2013

Greek soccer federation bans player for Nazi salute

AEK Athens midfielder Giorgos Katidis has been banned from any Greek national team for life after giving a Nazi salute while celebrating a goal in the Greek league.

Greece's soccer federation said Sunday in a statement that the AEK Athens midfielder's gesture "is a deep insult to all victims of Nazi brutality."
The 20-year-old Katidis gave a Nazi salute after scoring the go-ahead goal Saturday in AEK's 2-1 victory over Veria in the Greek league. He pleaded ignorance of the meaning of his gesture — right arm extended and hand straightened. He claimed on his Twitter account that he detests fascism.

"The player's action to salute to spectators in a Nazi manner is a severe provocation, insults all the victims of Nazi bestiality and injures the deeply pacifist and human character of the game," EPO said in statement.


AEK and the Greek league are considering separate sanctions. AEK fans have demanded Katidis' dismissal from the team.
Katidis has played for Greek national junior teams but not the senior side.

Greece's football federation said Sunday in a statement that the player's gesture "is a deep insult to all victims of Nazi brutality."


The 20-year-old Katidis gave a Nazi salute after scoring the winner in AEK's 2-1 victory over Veria on Saturday. His action provoked an immediate and overwhelmingly negative response on social media. Katidis apologized on TV and Twitter, pleading ignorance about the meaning of the salute.

"I am not racist in any way," Katidis said on his Twitter account, according to a Google translation.

AEK and the Greek league are also considering separate sanctions. AEK could also be penalized.

Hardcore AEK fans have issued a statement demanding Katidis' dismissal from the team.

Katidis has played for Greek junior teams.



"He is a young kid who does not have any political ideas. He most likely saw such a salute on the Internet or somewhere else and did it without knowing what it means," he said.
AEK are languishing in 10th place in the table with 29 points from 26 games. Veria are fourth from bottom.
Katidis joined the club from Aris Salonika last year after impressing in Greece's run to the final of the European Under-19 Championship where they lost to Spain.
(Reporting by Harry Papachristou; additional reporting by Graham Wood; editing by Justin Palmer)



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