In fact, in the hands of the Federation, everything that happened has been videotaped, as well as the dialogues of the meeting have also been recorded. This is also the material that will be sent to FIFA and UEFA.
EPO-Arbitration meeting: For four hours, the big players fought and agreed that they disagree
As expected, yesterday’s meeting at the EPO with the participation of the representatives of the top teams of the league in order to find a solution for the arbitration was fruitless.
For regarding 4 hours the players simply argued, shouted, threw objects and in the end left without the slightest agreement on the continuation of the championship. Messrs. left without statements. Alafouzos and Melissanidis. Vangelis Marinakis was content to say: “Do you expect me to tell you what EPO is? Don’t know what EPO is? The EPO is the worst thing there is”.
Inside the council, Vangelis Marinakis also turned once morest Bennett, while he allegedly took the position and answered on other issues as well. Among other things, the president of Stoiximan Super League 1 and of Olympiakos pointed out to the English referee: “You have to pick up the phones and talk to all the Federations, with all the referees you know in these 30 years that you told us in your CV, the which of course you should have given us in August and not now.
But in reality you deliberately do not bring good referees for the simple reason that you want us to reach the conclusion that the Greeks are better. And this is how Mandalos defines his friends as he does to this day.”
In addition, addressing the English president of KED/EPO, he emphasized that “you got away and said something once morest what we have agreed as Big-4 and once morest what we have voted at the level of the professional football committee and in the Executive Committee of the EPO. We tell you to help everyone to come good referees since you can’t.
You tell the world fairy tales – and you tell fairy tales – that the referees will be brought by Olympiacos or by Marinakis. So find them yourself. But know that if elite referees and top first division referees from top / top leagues do not come we will not let the team go to ‘slaughter’. The league has changed a lot.
We say it once more because you act like you don’t understand. Elite referees or referees from the first division and only from the top ten leagues. We do not agree with these empty words and announcements that referees are coming from all over the first division.
And Dabanovic is first class. Is this how you want the league to go? Do you think it will end? So I say it once more Mr. Bennett. I don’t know what you’re going to do. Find good referees in the features we told you regarding. All the teams ask for it and you have no excuse. And the fact that you admitted that Mandalos is your vice-president and makes the decisions, is something that all of Greece knows. This explains why some people knew the definitions days before.”
Kostas Karapapas, leaving, said: “I have given Baltakos a skirt as a gift, let him wear it when leaving and see if it works for him”.
Yiannis Alafouzos, who managed to leave before the shouts started due to professional obligations, requested that UEFA’s help be officially requested for the arrival of referees of known value to Greece, pointing out that it is inadmissible for referees of the level of Dabanovic to come and pointed out to Steve Bennett that it is his own issue and his own responsibility to find the best possible options and ensure the presence of foreign referees of the highest level in the league.
Dimitris Melissanidis went once morest Clattenberg saying “what is Clattenberg doing? You have thrown Mata Hari next to him to please you.” At the same time, he made a special mention of the periods of the KED under the administrations of the EPO, before the governing committee appointed at the end of 2016, as he characteristically commented on the example of those in
periods of Sarri-Girtziki administrations. The Union demanded that the referees be appointed only by the KED and criticized the attitude of Olympiakos who did not agree to send a letter to UEFA to help find suitable referees. The Union also stressed that any involvement of Clattenberg is unacceptable and that the referees who have spoken with him must
are excluded as options for the championship of our country.
When Dimitris Melissanidis started attacking Clattenberg, stressing that he is an international fraudster and in his bed is Mata Hari, who goes with all the referees, Vangelis Marinakis answered him meaningfully: “If Clattenberg is a fraudster, go to Justice. Give us the details so that we don’t pay him a fortune in the Super League. Why don’t you get Clattenberg to tell us what he thinks now? As for the beds, since you want us to go to this level, we also know which ones you have thrown into the bed of your neighbor (Bennett), the lady from Piraeus, and which ones you throw into beds in general.”
When Melissanidis then said what “does the ridiculous Avgenakis want and interfere?”, the answer came once more from Marinakis: “You probably forgot Kontonis who said that the final will not start if the referees are not changed. Then apparently the Minister did not intervene in the final between Olympiacos and AEK”.
Ivan Savvidis participated via video conference. In his position, he argued that apart from KED and EPO, no one can be related to the definitions of arbitrators. He asked for calmness in order to finish the championship smoothly, and noted that he is in favor of the arrival of elite referees and is even going to help in this effort, but only if this happens institutionally.
The representative of AEK Giorgos Kosmas said: “They’re trying to destroy it because they can’t make it theirs. Mr. Melissanidis and AEK expressed their confidence in the institutions of football. It was made clear that any designation is made only through KED and EPO. Far from definitions from people who have dismissed football, such as Mr Clattenberg. AEK wants clean football. It is the premier league of all time, as evidenced by the fact that four teams claim it. We all need to protect football from toxicity and fans. AEK trusts, I repeat, the institutions, protects them and will do everything it can to finish the championship smoothly”.
Makis Gagatsis during his departure from the EPO offices in the statements he made in front of the representatives of the press following talking regarding the meeting and the fact that everyone agreed that they disagreed on the complaint/revelation made by Steve Bennett during the meeting that he was a foreigner a referee offered himself to referee Olympiacos – PAOK, something that is not done anywhere and he emphasized that the two-headed man will pursue the punishment of the referee in question to the end.
He specifically stated: “After a four-hour meeting we agreed that we disagree, Mr. Savvidis expressed that despite the strong complaints we have, we express our support to Mr. Bennett and the KED to end the championship. He expressed the opinion that the only institutional body that can bring arbitrators is the KED.
We had a shocking complaint/revelation from Mr. Bennett who showed us a message from a foreign referee who offered to come to the Olympiacos – PAOK game next Wednesday. Mr. Bennett said that he has found referees but this person asked for the referees to be changed and asked what nationality the referees that Mr. Bennett has found are.
Mr. Savvidis expressed his desire for this complaint to reach the end that a referee suggests himself to referee a game. These do not happen in Chibouti either. To reach the end, to be exemplified by UEFA as well”.
“He didn’t tell us, he doesn’t know. He showed us the message on the screen that he himself called Mr. Bennet and asked to testify. Have you ever heard a referee recommending himself before.”
“At the point we agreed on the definitions to define the best possible referees and or as elite as possible in the big-4 matches. PAOK’s desire for 25-26 elite to referee the next derbies. A letter that might be signed by Baltakos, Bennett and the four owners and sent to Mr. Ceferin to bring in better referees. This agreement was not reached.”
“We are a club and we were represented by the six clubs in the playoffs. We cannot choose referees. “And Mr. Clattenberg last year did the programming for the whole month. That’s Mr. Bennett’s business, not mine.”
For Achillea Beu’s remark that the big four are arguing regarding the championship: “All four of us want the championship, isn’t it normal? We want it and it goes without saying that we will do our best competitively. We weren’t fighting like you said.”
Achilles Beos, for his part, said: “It’s not football, so many people, journalists, are you leaving your time to come and take statements regarding what? This football is not played in Djibouti or anywhere in the world. It’s a farce.
I don’t know why we gathered here but here they gathered for who will win the championship, they don’t care regarding football. At least the one who gets it deserves it. May we have no bloodshed. I disagree with such practices, what happened inside will be told to you by others, not me. I cried out, I fought back for these practices. Therefore, football is not going anywhere unless cuts are made here and now and decisions are made. The shadow theater is in there.”
EPO President Takis Baltakos said: “We came close to an agreement, it’s a fact, the agreement really broke down. It does not mean that because an agreement was not reached that the EPO will not respect its institutional role so that in the next 9 matches we have the referees that we should have, i.e. elite or first class referees, so that the championship can end more smoothly and conquer the title the best.
Why were there no good referees during this period: “Bennett has explained it all and the speakers have told you. What I’m telling you is that the KED has done everything it can to bring in elite or first-class referees, and that’s what it will continue to do.”
For the accusation that the referee nominated himself: “Because this concerns teams and involves two teams, PAOK and Olympiacos, I will not take a position. Bennett told us there is already an investigation by UEFA.”
As to whether there was tension: “There was tension. Because you know that this year’s championship is the most competitive. So tension is expected and normal. The championship will certainly end.”
Why he doesn’t want to go into arbitration, having done it in the past: “This was Mr. Marinakis’ demand for Diamantopoulos. I have not spoken to Unions. Tomorrow I have an appointment in Geneva with UEFA for another reason and it is certain that I will raise an issue so that help can be given so that elite or first class referees can come.”