Thu 2 December, 2004 14:32
By Barney Spender
ATHENS (
Reuters)
A riot involving fans and players broke out at a Greek first division water polo match between Olympiakos Piraeus and Panionios Athens.
Alekos Vasos, coach of the visiting Panionios team, was pushed into the water by an Olympiakos fan while Panionios player Zahos Anastasiadis was taken to hospital after being struck on the head by a chair thrown by a supporter.
The trouble started when players began fighting in the pool with the score at 3-3 and just 91 seconds remaining. Substitutes joined in by leaping into the pool and supporters in the stands also began fighting.
The Panionios players in the pool were then subjected to a hailstorm of advertising hoardings, chairs, first aid equipment and clothing thrown from the stands.
Order was finally restored but the game was abandoned.
The incident came in a week when Piraeus police banned visiting Panathinaikos soccer supporters from attending this weekend's derby match with Olympiakos, the football division of the club which includes waterpolo and basketball teams.
