The Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK) has lodged an official protest after a social media post by the Turkish Basketball Federation celebrating Turkey’s victory over Greece in the EuroBasket 2025 semi-final on Friday.
EOK said the protest had also been communicated to FIBA. The Turkish federation later removed the post following the complaint, according to the Greek body.
Why Greece issued an official protest over the Eurobasket post
The contentious graphic paired two images: Cedi Osman dunking and Giannis Antetokounmpo appearing to pray as part of his pre-game ritual. Across the montage ran the phrase “No Mercy”. EOK characterized the publication as provocative and said it had formally raised the matter with the sport’s global governing body.
The removal of the content came amid a broader backlash online. While Turkey’s national team advanced at EuroBasket 2025 with a win over Greece to set up a final against Germany, the social media post risked overshadowing the on-court result. Greek officials argued that official channels carry a responsibility to avoid inflaming tensions between rival fanbases.
Not the only incident
Separately, Alperen Sengun drew criticism for a celebratory message posted after the semi-final. The Turkish center wrote, “Isn’t a bit of sea air good for you?”, a remark that prompted heated exchanges among Greek and Turkish supporters in the comments. Following the reaction, the player’s account disabled comments on the post.
The phrasing was interpreted by many Greek users as an allusion to the 1922 destruction of Smyrna, sparking anger and renewed argument threads under the player’s feed. From the Turkish side, numerous users expressed disappointment with the tone of the celebration and said they had nothing against Greek fans, urging a focus on basketball rather than historical references.
Greece’s Federation’s protest shows the scrutiny national federations face over official communications on social media, particularly during high-profile tournaments. The federation said its objection centered on the message conveyed by the “No Mercy” post and its potential to escalate rhetoric beyond sporting rivalry. No additional details of the complaint were immediately available.
It was not clear whether the incident would trigger any formal review by FIBA. However, both posts had already been curtailed by the time the controversy peaked: the Turkish federation’s graphic was taken down, and Sengun’s account restricted replies. For Greece, the immediate priority remains the national team, while for Turkey the focus shifts to the upcoming final against Germany.
The episode highlights how quickly celebratory posts, comments and content in general can become a point of contest in international sport. In this case, Greece’s official protest and the swift deletion of the post closed one chapter, even as debate about tone and respect in victory continued among basketball fans in Greece, Turkey and beyond ahead of the final on Sunday between Germany and Turkey.
Related: Greece’s EuroBasket 2025 Journey Ends in Semifinal Loss to Turkey
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