The point reduction penalty that was imposed on the PAOK and Xanthi football clubs after a complaint made by Olympiacos for shared ownership will be maintained.
The Hellenic Football Federation’s Appeal Council rejected the effort of the two clubs after the intervention of the Hellenic Sports Council, which means that the original court decision will stand. The team from northeast Greece has also seen a further 5 points deducted from their tally due to their shares being owned by PAOK members, with this decision standing as well. These procedures are decided by a majority vote from the Appeal Council.
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This turn of events now brings Olympiacos at the top of the table with a 14-point difference to the second PAOK at the end of the regular season, while AEK is now just one point short of the current champions. Meanwhile, Xanthi, which will be participating in the play-out process that will decide relegation, is now 12th with 18 points, just one more than Panetolikos and 7 than Panionios who is at the bottom of the table.
PAOK: “A CASE THAT WAS CREATED IN POLITICAL OFFICES THAT SERVE DIFFERENT INTERESTS”
The PAOK reaction was swift in light of this decision, with the club from Thessaloniki releasing soon after.
“It is unheard of, even though it was unfortunately expected, that in the end not one, but two courts decided that a decision by a committee that is made up of family, appointed members and friends of Mr Augenakis, would be binding. It is obvious that we respect the decisions of the courts, as long as they judge and don’t evade. It is also obvious that we will appeal immediately to the CAS with the hope that a case that was created in political offices that serve different interests will be solved as swiftly as possible.
Today’s 2-1 majority vote by the Appeal’s Council considers Mr Tzoulakis, Mr Arkoudis and Mrs Maroupa as higher judges than they are. This obvious insanity has no bounds,” the announcement states.