We demand justice in Greek football

For almost two decades now, Greek football has suffered from a corrupted organisation, mainly the Hellenic Football Federation(EPO) and sports club Olympiacos Piraeus. We have witnessed this corruption at every level, be it on the pitch or behind the scenes with repetitive refereeing "mistakes" that have favored one team, Olympiacos, and decisions that have affected their rivals with some of the most glaring errors in football history in order to ensure that the championship would end up in Piraeus. We have had evidence of corruption, match-fixing and even criminal activities over this period of time. 

In 2015, we have the latest football scandal involving Olympiacos and their owner, Marinakis, who has been banned from football as he is the main suspect for the criminal organisation that controls Greek football. The Olympiacos president is accused of being involved in and directing a criminal organisation, aiding and abetting blackmailing, aiding and abetting extortion, and aiding and abetting bribery and fraud. 

Olympiacos, through this corrupted system, has enjoyed direct participation in the Champions League groups, ensuring that they'd see an inflow of many millions through participation and television funds, while most of Greek football has been in distress due to the economic problems of the country. Olympiacos has also managed to control most of the clubs participating in the Greek top flight division, by either loaning them some young starlets or by ensuring that they do not get relegated. There is also evidence that they have orchastretated coaching staff appointments to other teams of the same league and even offering to pay half the wages of a team's head coach. 

UEFA has known about the situation in Greek football as UEFA deputy General Secretary, TheodoreTheodordes, is the son of the vice-president of Olympiacos, Savvas Theodorides, who is also involved in the match fixing scandals as well as the criminal organisation scandal. 

UEFA has definitely been informed by the recent news about the owner of Olympiacos and the former HFF chairman, Giorgos Sarris, who have been banned from football for their actions. Thus, UEFA must act accordingly and ban Olympiacos from European competitions. 

Furthermore, the Greek justice system and the HFF must also revoke Olympiacos' titles for all seasons involved in this scandal and call for the relegation of the club and all other clubs that have been part of this criminal organisation, including a multi-year or lifetime ban of the people involved.

This is the least of what we expect in a country that wants to say that it respects its citizens and the law. We need your support to highlight and promote this subject internationally and raise awareness for the corruption in Greek football in order to have it stopped. 

More information here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Greek_football_scandal

Marinos Vaggelakis    Contact the author of the petition