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Basketball: Flare hurled at Greek final earns suspended jail term

A Greek court on Tuesday sentenced a basketball fan to a 16 month suspended jail term for throwing a flare during the Greek Cup final at the weekend. Riot police clashed with supporters before and after the game in which Panathinaikos beat Aris 68-59. Fans threw plastic seats and other objects at police and the stadium was filled with choking smoke from flares hurled by troublemakers. The 34-year-old man from the western town of Agrinion was also fined 550 euros and banned from stadiums for two years. The start of the final was delayed one hour when Panathinaikos refused to play unless an agreement calling for just 1,100 supporters from each club to be present was maintained. Just before the start, some 500 Aris supporters forced their way into the stadium. Police said 11 supporters were arrested.