THE Yannis Alafouzos expresses his concern about an attempted cover-up in the case of the illegal betting ring.
The strong man of PAE Panathinaikoswho went to the EPO offices at noon on Thursdayto be “present” at the meeting of the Professional Football Commission, has addressed it by letter.
“The above groundless proposals as well as the general attitude of the Federation so far give rise to reasonable thoughts that an attempt is being made to cover up a case which could be a trigger for an important cleansing of professional football“, he says characteristically.
The letter in detail
“To the Professional Football Committee,
Dear gentlemen,
Your position expressed in the reply letter of 19-7-2023 that the issue of the court case of manipulated matches is a matter of competence of the EU and not of the EU. is so self-evidently baseless that reasonably leads to the conclusion that once again there is a conscious attempt to downplay the role and importance of the E.E.P.. in violation of the Holistic Study.
The view that the issue of the manipulation of dozens of professional football matches does not concern the professional football bodies represented in the EEP but the EU controlled by Presidents of local associations is so outside the regulatory and footballing reality that it can only be compared with the recent statements of the President of the EPO in which he proposed completely unfounded legal solutions which probably served communication purposes, as at least the President of the EPO perceives them.
The abolition of the investigative process and the penalty of expulsion from the championship directly with the third file are proposals not only contrary to the relevant regulations of FIFA and UEFA but also dangerous for thus would be in danger of annihilation even teams, which would have the misfortune to participate in three matches which their opponent would manipulate without their knowledge.
Regarding his proposal to legislate the degree of proof required let someone inform him that the relevant regulation already provides that these cases are investigated and tried without delay and without requiring the corresponding criminal procedure to be completed and that in order to have a conviction for the offenses of manipulation, the degree of proof required is that of comfortable satisfaction (as the concept of this has been formulated according to CAS jurisprudence), i.e. greater than mere probability and less than proof beyond all doubt.
The above non-territorial proposals as well as the general attitude of the Federation so far create reasonable considerations that a cover-up is being attempted of a case which can be a trigger for a significant cleansing of professional football».
It is recalled that in his placement o Takis Baltakos said on Monday:
“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».
Source: Sport Fm
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