On 7 August 2023, the fatal injury of Michalis Katsouris brought football violence back to the spotlight. On the occasion of this tragic event, we travelled both in space and time talking to lawyers, academics, police officers, football fans and relatives of victims. We tried to shed light on the unknown world of ultras in Greece and Europe in general and also to identify focal points and events that have changed a phenomenon that emerged in the 80s, but has become increasingly severe as the years go by.

In the room with the Bad Blue Boys

Kostas Koukoumakas

iMEdD met in Zagreb with leading members of one of the most hardcore Ultras groups in Europe.

“Without the Ultras, there is no football”: James Montague on fans and politics

George Schinas

We spoke with journalist and author James Montague about the history and culture of the fans movement, its association with violence, and its contemporary forms and expressions.

"BROTHERS IN STANDS"

Before Lavriou, there was Ymittou: The fight that led to Filopoulos’ Murder

Panagiotis Menegos

“For the first time, we understood how our opponents think” – a video that endures till this day marked the onset of a new, more aggressive era of hooliganism in Greece.

Victims of football violence in Greece

  • 1983

    Aris Dimtriadis

    18 years old

    Charilaou area, Thessaloniki - cyclist. He was killed by Aris F.C. fans.

  • 1986

    Charalampos Blionas

    29 years old

    Larissa (AEL) F.C. - was hit by a flare thrown by PAOK F.C. fans in Alkazar stadium.

  • 1991

    Efthymis Liakas & Kostas Dolias

    21 & 25 years old

    PAOK F.C. - were hit by Molotov cocktails in their car by fans of an unidentified team.

  • 1991

    Giorgos Panagiotou

    17 years old

    Olympiacos F.C. - outside Nea Philadelphia, Athens - hit by a naval flare thrown by AEK F.C. fans.

  • 1995

    Giorgos Karnezis

    25 years old

    Panathinaikos F.C. - Glyfada Square, Athens - stabbed by Olympiacos F.C. fans.

  • 2007

    Michalis Filopoulos

    25 years old

    Panathinaikos F.C. - Lavrio Avenue, Athens - was beaten with an iron bar and stabbed by Olympiacos F.C. fans.

  • 2011

    Giannis Rousakis

    21 years old

    Panathinaikos F.C. - Heraklion, Crete - stabbed by OFI F.C. fans.

  • 2014

    Kostas Katsoulis

    46 years old

    Ethnikos F.C. - Nea Alikarnassos Stadium, Crete - beaten to death by Irodotos F.C. fans.

  • 2017

    Nasos Konstantinou

    24 years old

    PAOK F.C. - Agios Dimitrios, Thessaloniki - fatally injured by a passing vehicle while being chased by Iraklis F.C. fans.

  • 2020

    Tosco Bozadziski

    28 years old

    Botev Plovdiv / fraternized with Aris F.C. fans - Thessaloniki - fatally injured by a passing vehicle while unconscious on the road after an attack by PAOK F.C. fans.

  • 2022

    Alkis Kambanos

    19 years old

    ARIS F.C. - Thessaloniki - was killed by PAOK F.C. fans.

  • 2023

    Michalis Katsouris

    29 years old

    AEK F.C. - Nea Filadelfeia Athens- stabbed to death by an unknown assailant, after a clash with GNK Dinamo Zagreb - Panathinaikos F.C. fans.

  • 2023

    Giorgos Lyggeridis

    Police officer - Athens- hit by a naval flare thrown by Olympiacos F.C. fans.

The shadowy world of Telegram hooligans

George Schinas

The Bad Blue Boys, hooligans associated with Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb, have links to organized fans from Ukraine and Greece. An in-depth investigation conducted by iMEdD delved into numerous public channels and social media profiles to uncover the connections between organized fans from Croatia, Ukraine, and Greece, as well as their affiliations with far-right ideologies.

The project team

Investigation-Audio Documentary: Kostas Koukoumakas, Panagiotis Menegos, George Schinas
Sound Mixing – Sound Design: Aris Athanasopoulos
iMEdD Podcasts Content and Production Manager: Panagiotis Menegos
Art Direction: Evgenios Kalofolias

License of use : CC BY-NC 4.0
Λογότυπο Άδειας Χρήσης Creative Commons Non Commercial International