PIRAEUS, October 2026 — A large homophobic banner displayed by supporters throughout Sunday’s Super League derby between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos drew criticism on social media after television broadcasts repeatedly showed it.
Supporters hung the banner at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, in a prominent spot facing the television cameras. Despite its size and visibility, it stayed in place until the final whistle.
It was not immediately clear whether Greek football authorities would take disciplinary action over the homophobic banner.
Panathinaikos had not given an official reaction immediately after the match.
What the homophobic banner said
The banner adapted a well-known football supporters’ chant and suggested that rival fans were gay. The word “gay” appeared in green, the colour linked with the Athens club.
On the pitch, Olympiacos won 1-0. Greece international defender Panagiotis Retsos scored the only goal in the 34th minute. Greek City Times covered the game in its match report on the Eternal Derby.
UEFA rules and past cases
UEFA, European football’s governing body, said discrimination has no place in the sport, “on or off the pitch.” Its anti-discrimination policy explicitly covers homophobia and anti-LGBTQ+ hate, as well as racism, sexism and antisemitism.
In addition, UEFA rules allow disciplinary action against clubs and associations when supporters behave in a discriminatory way.
European football bodies have punished similar conduct before. In 2017, UEFA partly closed Red Star Belgrade’s stadium for a European match after supporters displayed a homophobic banner. It cited its rules against discriminatory behaviour.
Similarly, the French Professional Football League condemned homophobic chants by Paris Saint-Germain fans at a match against Strasbourg in October 2024. The league referred the case to its disciplinary commission. It later partly closed a stand at the Parc des Princes for one match.
French government officials also condemned the chants at the time.
Source: Kathimerini
Athens Bureau
Athens Bureau is Greek City Times’ news desk in Athens, reporting on Greek politics, society, economy, culture, and breaking national news for readers in Greece and the diaspora.