In the meeting of Super League’s Board of Directors, held on Tuesday, PAOK FC filed their stance regarding upcoming elections for president of the Greek Federation (EPO). The detailed statement, as expressed by Mr. Dimokratis Papadopoulos, member of PAOK FC’s Board of Directors, is as follows:

“Despite recent publications pointing to the opposite, PAOK FC have never expressed their support to any candidate for the upcoming elections at EPO.

We consider it unacceptable to be talking about maintaining a system that has morally collapsed and to tolerate the presence of people involved in scandals with the lawsuits still pending in our football.

We have time and time again suggested a change in the election procedure of the president and the board of directors, so that EPO can get rid of an exclusive system that obviously calls the shots and is getting in more trouble ahead of the trial hearings.

We have demanded from EPO to take the first step towards self-cleansing. We consider it self-evident that they have to be held accountable for violating common sense, for their inner workings and for the Central Refereeing Committee.

We have demanded from football prosecutors to be sensitive and investigate the Korea case findings. That way we can all ascertain the moral background of the federation ahead of the elections and the past of each person aiming at ruling over EPO and, by extension, Greek football.

Giorgos Sarris’ resignation while his counselors remain in office offers no substantial change. Greek football cannot get rid of the criminal organization ravaging it, nor is there an inclination towards total restructuring.

As for the candidature of Central Refereeing Committee’s president, as a sequel of Sarris’ respective trajectory, we consider it offensive and it also sets a precedent for “subsidizing” those who have served specific interests. PAOK FC cannot disagree more and will not offer any support to Mr. Girtzikis’.

PAOK FC propose once again the expansion of the electoral base for the EPO election, the independence of the sport judiciary and the intervention of the state, in order to secure that people with pending criminal cases against them will not be allowed anymore to play a part in Greek football.

Then, and only then, will we be able to discuss the essentials of the federation elections. If however things remain as they are, our clear intension as a Club is to get the pertinent discussion under way and even envisage withdrawal from the league”.