Just an hour after Vouliagmeni ended Olympiacos’ 12-year dominance in Greek women’s water polo with a 12-11 victory in Game 5 of the A1 finals, Olympiacos S.F.P. released an official statement expressing both congratulations and condemnation.

While acknowledging Vouliagmeni’s success and their long-standing contribution to Greek water polo, Olympiacos sharply criticized the refereeing across the finals series, stating it “stigmatized the entire series” and “influenced the development and outcome of the matches.”

The club, one of the sport’s most decorated institutions, emphasized its role in supplying talent to national teams and called for “credibility and transparency” from governing bodies moving forward.

Below is the full statement from Olympiacos:

Official Statement – Olympiacos S.F.P.

“OLYMPIACOS S.F.P. congratulates the Vouliagmeni team for winning the championship in A1 Women’s polo. We recognize the value of a club that has supported Greek water polo for years and contributes to its progress.

However, we cannot overlook the unacceptable refereeing that stigmatized the entire series of finals (both in Women’s polo and Men’s polo). We watched referees blow their whistles with double standards, clearly influencing the development and outcome of the matches.

The conditions under which we were called to compete this year cannot and must not be repeated. Olympiacos, which has long been the main blood donor of the National water polo teams, the least it demands is equality in every competitive process. We will never accept a situation that allows the alteration of results through refereeing bias.

We call on the competent bodies to reflect on their responsibilities and to ensure credibility and transparency in the playing fields. Athletes deserve an environment where only their performance is the judge.

Olympiacos is a Club that has learned to lead, to claim and to inspire. We hold our heads high and are already looking to the next day, with faith, pride and determination. Our history is not written with black marks of refereeing errors, but with effort, sweat and titles.

And on this path, we continue.”

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