The Appeals Committee of the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) has come to the decision for Aris to start the new championship tournament with a six point deduction, shocking the team.

The Committee rejected the appeal filed by the “yellows” against the initial decision of the Ethics Committee, in the case of forgery of the contract of the football player Borche Laskov.

According to the indictment, Aris had forged both the seal of the EPO and the signature of its executive secretary, Alexis Dede, in the contract of the player who had played on the team in the 2018-19 season.

Aris issued a press release, announcing that it will appeal to the Supreme Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in order to be vindicated.

“Without any trace of shame, the sinful Appeals Committee of the EPO completed the ‘crime’ against PAE Aris, rejecting the appeal we filed in the Laskov case. In a case where Aris clearly has no involvement, and in which Laskov himself admitted that he is responsible for the forgery, coming forward with a witness. The decision is the definition ‘scandal’.”

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ZAGORAKIS: “THE DECISION IS UNFAIR”

Theodoris Zagorakis stated in a Facebook post that he was opposed to the penalty imposed on Aris by the EPO Ethics Committee.

The President of the Greek Football Federation characterises the decision as “unfair for football itself”.

He further clarifies that he supports the effort of Aris to find a solution and delved into a more general conversation about the practice of deducting points as a consequence, asking to start a discussion for a change of disciplinary penalties.

“Many can talk about an institutional upheaval of the President of the EPO and the fact that I take a position on a court decision. It would be more convenient to hide behind my status. This hideout, however, brought Greek football to this situation and I am not prepared to continue it,” stressed Mr Zagorakis.