Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Nottingham Forest and Greek football club Olympiacos, is currently facing trial in Athens on charges of instigating football-related violence and supporting a criminal organization. The 58-year-old businessman is accused, alongside four other Olympiacos board members, of two misdemeanour counts related to inciting violence against authorities and supporting organized crime between 2019 and 2024. Marinakis, represented by his lawyer Vassilis Dimakopoulos, has vehemently denied the allegations, which he describes as entirely unfounded. “The accusations are totally baseless,” Dimakopoulos stated to BBC Sport earlier today. In total, 142 fans are facing charges for being members of a criminal organization and causing life-threatening incidents at sporting events. Among them, seven individuals are charged with leading the criminal organization, all of whom have also denied any wrongdoing. These charges arise from the tragic incident in 2023 where riot police officer George Lyngeridis sustained fatal injuries after being struck by a flare during violent clashes outside a women’s volleyball match between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. The trial is anticipated to extend over several months, with more than 200 witnesses expected to testify. Due to the large number of defendants and witnesses, the trial is being held in a specially designated room adjacent to Korydallos high-security prison in southern Attica, rather than a conventional courthouse. A request for a larger courtroom has been made, which will be reviewed by the judges at the next session. The court comprises a panel of three senior judges who will deliberate collectively. The trial commenced quietly as judges took their seats, followed by the calling of defendants’ and witnesses’ names, while heavily armed police were present. On the morning of the trial, law enforcement implemented strict security measures, including ID checks and metal detector screenings for attendees. Separate entrances have been designated for lawyers, witnesses, and journalists, with a temporary media center established in an adjacent room. The next hearing is scheduled for November 25.
