Katidis created an international controversy on 16 March 2013, when he gave a Nazi style salute after scoring the winning goal against Veria. His action drew condemnation from teammates, colleagues, politicians, fans and the media, forcing him to tears in the dressing room. He later claimed he was unaware of the gesture's connotations, stating that he had been pointing to a colleague in the stands.[3] As a result of the salute, the Hellenic Football Federation voted unanimously to give Katidis a lifetime exclusion from all Greek national teams.[4]