Giorgos Katidis, Greek Soccer Player Who Celebrated Goal With Nazi Salute, Banned From National Team

Giogos Katidis has been banned from the Greek national soccer team by The Hellenic Football Federation, after the midfielder celebrated a goal by giving a Nazi salute to fans in Athens.

“The player’s action to salute to spectators in a Nazi manner is a severe provocation, insults all the victims of Nazi barbarity and injures the deeply pacifist and human character of the game,” the federation said, according to The New York Times.

Katidis initially claimed that the gesture was not a salute, rather just him pointing to a friend seated in the stands. Later, Katidis claimed that he had no knowledge of the meaning of his gesture. After the ban he issued an apology, stating, “I feel terrible for those I upset with the stupidity of my act.”

“I want to clarify that I am not a fascist or neo-Nazi or racist. I have a step-brother from Puerto Rico, and all my family are from the Black Sea and have experienced racism in the worst ways,” Katidis said on Sunday. “I sincerely apologize to my teammates and everyone involved with the club that I have insulted in not knowing exactly what I had done in my celebration. Nonetheless, the fact that I did not know what I was doing is no excuse.”

Before Katidis' Twitter account was deleted, he insisted that he was not a racist, adding, “I despise fascism. I would not have done it if I knew what something like this meant. I know what the consequences are and I would never have done it.”

Although Katidis story might seem unlikely, he has a supporter in his German AEK Athens coach Ewald Lienen – known for having left-wing politics. “He hasn’t got a clue about politics,” the coach told the Greek newspaper Kathimerini. “That’s why we shouldn’t condemn him. Any footballer who knows about my past, where I’m from and my political beliefs would know that such a gesture would lead to that being his last game for AEK.” He added: “He most likely saw such a salute on the Internet or somewhere else and did it without knowing what it means.”

In 2005, self-proclaimed fascist, Italian soccer player Paolo di Canio, greeted fans with the “Roman salute.” When he was asked to clarify his gesture he said, “I am a fascist, not a racist. I made the Roman salute because it’s a salute from a comrade to his comrades and was meant for my people,” according to BBC Sport. He has given the salute on other occasions as well, and has received no more that a single game ban and a few fines.

Katidis will not be so lucky. The severity of his punishment no doubt has something to do with the unfortunate timing of his gesture. Not only has a neo-Nazi party been gaining steam in Greek politics, his salute was given on the 70th anniversary of the deportation of Jewish peoples from Greece to Nazi death camps.

It is uncertain whether AEK Athens will permit Katidis to continue playing with them at the club level.

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