Panathinaikos protests against league suspension
Panathinaikos blasted the government’s decision to suspend the Super League instead of punishing those responsible for the decadence of the Greek game, thereby favoring one particular official, it said, without naming PAOK owner Ivan Savvidis.
In a statement issued about an hour after Deputy Minister for Sports Giorgos Vassiliadis announced the immediate and indefinite suspension of the Super League, Panathinaikos spoke of a “tried and failed” recipe by the government that is aimed at “issuing a pardon to the all the indecent and immoral incidents recorded for the umpteenth time by one particular grand official of a soccer team, who enjoys the government’s favor.”
“This decision hurts all the other clubs that did not provoke or participate in the incidents, and dissolves the league that sought a new balance with the efforts made by many parties,” the Panathinaikos statement added.
Apollon Smyrnis would also vent its fury against the government decision, as it has already traveled to Ioannina for its away game against local PAS Giannena scheduled for Monday evening. “Apollon is the only club to pay both in psychological and financial terms for the decision, which we heard of but until three hours before kick-off has not been officially communicated to us,” the Athens club stated.
“We have paid good money to travel and stay at Ioannina and now we will have to repeate those expenses in the future,” Apollon protested, asking for a reinbursement.
