The death of seven PAOK supporters in a car accident in Romania on Tuesday adds another chapter to Greek sports tragedies.
For decades, the nation’s sporting triumphs have been frequently interrupted by moments of profound grief—ranging from structural catastrophes and travel accidents to the rising tide of hooliganism.
The foundation of grief: The Gate 7 disaster
The benchmark for tragedy in Greek sports remains February 8, 1981. Following an Olympiacos victory over AEK at the Karaiskakis Stadium, a stampede at Gate 7 claimed 21 lives.
Locked or partially closed turnstiles created a deadly bottleneck as fans rushed to celebrate, leading to the worst stadium disaster in the country’s history. To this day, the “Gate 7” name is synonymous with both the club’s most ardent supporters and its deepest scar.
The Tempi and Romania crashes
Fan travel has proven uniquely perilous for the city of Thessaloniki. In October 1999, six young PAOK fans lost their lives at the Tempi valley when their bus collided with a truck.
History repeated itself cruelly this week, in January 2026, when seven more PAOK supporters were killed in Romania while following their team’s European campaign. These events underscore the immense risks taken by the “traveling army” to support their colors.
From Alkis Kampanos to Michalis Katsouris
In the last five years, the nature of these tragedies has shifted from accidents to targeted violence. The 2022 murder of 19-year-old Alkis Kampanos in Thessaloniki and the 2023 stabbing of AEK fan Michalis Katsouris during a riot involving Dinamo Zagreb hooligans signaled a move toward organized, paramilitary-style clashes. These deaths were not the result of stadium failure, but of a deep-seated culture of fanatical hatred.
The killing of Giorgos Lyggeridis
The most significant turning point for modern sports law occurred in December 2023. During a volleyball match in Rentis, police officer Giorgos Lyggeridis was struck by a marine flare fired by hooligans.
His death weeks later prompted the Greek government to treat hooligan groups as “criminal organizations.” It led to the temporary closure of all soccer stadiums and the implementation of strict digital ID ticketing systems that remain in place today.
A legacy of ruin
Beyond the loss of life, the “disaster” of Greek sports is also reflected in its infrastructure. The 2004 Olympic legacy, once a symbol of national pride, has largely turned to rust. The emergency closure of the OAKA Olympic Stadium in 2023 due to the instability of the Calatrava roof serves as a stark metaphor for the systemic neglect that has plagued the industry for decades.
As Greece mourns the seven lives lost in Romania, the nation is reminded that the history of its favorite pastime is inextricably linked to a legacy of loss that spans generations.
