Baltakos: “EPO does not know anything about the ongoing criminal investigation”

Position on the case of the investigation being conducted regarding the illegal betting circuit, the president of EPO, Panagiotis Baltakos.

In his statement he states that the Federation has no involvement in the procedures, while at the same time listing his proposals, asking for it punishment of those involved.

The position of the president of the EPO in detail:

“The EPO does not know anything about the ongoing criminal investigation. The EPO only has disciplinary proceedings against the groups involved, through the Ethics Committee, which is made up of regular judges and acts independently.

In order to effectively assist the work of regular judges, I propose the following:

1. Abolition of the months-long and ineffective investigative process and direct referral of the teams to trial, since the only evidence available to the Ethics Committee is the report of the Sportradar company and nothing else. No documents, no witnesses, no bank accounts, no confiscated cell phones and computers.

What interrogation to do?

2. Immediately – within five days – imposition of a penalty on the team, for which a file is received from Sportradar as follows:

a) For the first file, a monetary fine of 100,000 Euros, after a previous hearing, but with a reversal of the burden of proof. The team must prove its innocence, not the Commission the guilt of the team.

b) For the second file, a deduction of 5 points and a fine of 150,000 Euros.

c) For the third file, expulsion from the championship.

It is understood that the appeal will not have suspensive force, and will only concern the financial part of the decision, not the disciplinary one.

Because regular Judges cannot impose sentences only with evidence and probability, relevant legislation is required to assist and support them in this regard.

Such a comprehensive legislative intervention, on behalf of the EPO and the State, will lead to the immediate suppression of the phenomenon before the championships begin.

On the contrary, the ongoing criminal investigation is secret and it will be years before we reach final convictions.

A relevant decision will be taken at the Executive Committee on July 20, after hearing the respective proposals of the Regular Judges and the Legal Service.”