The Karaiskakis Stadium disaster was an incident that occurred on 8 February 1981, in the Karaiskakis Stadium in Neo Faliro, Greece, after a football match between Olympiacos and AEK Athens FC. It is the biggest football tragedy in Greece's history.
A total number of 21 supporters lost their lives while rushing out of the stadium to celebrate the victory of Olympiacos against AEK Athens FC (6-0). The accident took place in the historic "Gate 7" (Θύρα 7).
There are still debates regarding the causes that led to the disaster. The main cause for the accident, according to the official police report, seems to be a partially closed door. While exiting, some fans lost their balance and fell on the last steps. Dozens fell onto each other and were stepped over by unsuspecting fans who kept coming. 19 supporters lost their lives within the stadium, while another two died of their wounds in hospital. At least 55 more were injured. Most of them were teenagers and young adults.
The accident occurred in a gate where supporters of Olympiacos were concentrated, however one of the victims was reported to be a supporter of AEK Athens FC.
In memory of this event, every year on February 8th, there is a memorial service at the stadium in honor of the supporters that died in that incident. The service is attended by thousands of fans every year, who are rhythmically shouting the phrase "Αδέρφια, ζείτε, εσείς μας οδηγείτε." (Adhélfia, zíte, esís mas odhiyíte, "Brothers, you still live, and you are the ones that guide us."). At the tribune part of the stadium where now is the gate 7, some seats are colored black instead of red, shaping the number "7", whereas there is also a monument on the eastern side of the stadium, bearing the names of all 21 supporters killed on that day in the stadium.
Even though this incident affected almost solely the fanbase of Olympiacos, other teams occasionally pay their respects to the people killed as well, as they consider the incident a tragedy not only for one team, but for the whole country. In the past, even foreign teams, such as Liverpool F.C. and Red Star Belgrade have honored the incident's victims.
"Gate 7" (Θύρα 7), οne of the most supportive fan clubs of Olympiacos was named after the incident. Although "Gate 7"-members are considered to be ultras, the people sitting in that gate before and during the incident were normal supporters, the majority of them without season tickets.
