Marinakis: “Manipulation phenomena are treated with the logic of a “price list””

Regarding the no. 54 meeting of the Executive Committee of the EPO I would like to bring to your attention the following:

I note to my regret that the unacceptable practice of the Administration continues to introduce for discussion to the Executive Committee issues that lack documentation and in fact, to ask the EU Members to “cure” this vicarious and unfair process through the provided “agenda items approval” (Topic 3). Such issues in today’s meeting are under no. 16, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 (which is either the same as topic 23, or the EPO spends the largest sums on security services in Greece!), 28, 29, 30, which of course have no place in any discussion since they do not have a clear content and known in advance to the Members of the E.E./E.P.O.

As far as the rest of the issues of the ED are concerned, an attempt is being made by a roundabout way (and especially through issue 6) to introduce for “approval”/”validation” the “renewal of the contracts of the KED Members that end on 31.07.2023” without specifying who these Members are. Personally, I am strongly opposed to the renewal of any contract when I do not know which persons it specifically concerns and when their duties are not clearly stated.

Despite the Statute and without any authority, Mr. President, you “anointed” Mr. St. Mandalo “Vice President” of KED as the Chief Referee Mr. Benett himself defined his status during his meeting with the representatives of PAE of Superleague 1 last March. Equally illegally, Mr. Mandalos participates in the designations of Professional Football Referees and has undertaken communication with them or their training in seminars, as again Mr. Benett confessed. All this when his position in the organizational chart of KED is only related to amateur football. I make it clear to you that I am not willing – representing the largest body of Professional Football in Greece – to tolerate “Latchers” and “shadow referees”. Nor am I ever going to consent to the contracts of “Mandalas” and others who opaquely run the Greek arbitration in hiding.

Finally, I am deeply impressed by the fact that there is absolutely no reference in the ED to the issue of the days that preoccupies the whole of Greek football and concerns the ongoing investigations into the betting and corruption ring that surrounds the professional leagues.

The only study of the Federation was for the President to issue a “personal” announcement to show his “reflexes” and show “determination”. In it he announced his intention to “introduce” the treatment of illegal betting with unearthly and dangerous methods. Neither more nor less the President of the EPO told us that if he wants someone can pay and manipulate a match freely. It is the first time and perhaps the only time in world football matters that manipulation phenomena are treated with “price list” logic. Not to mention the legislatively non-territorial part of his proposals that are impossible to implement in any favored country.

Instead of the President of the EPO taking “initiatives” that “normalize” illegality and which have no other purpose than to divert the discussion from the real problem (and possibly delay the clarification of the case…), it would be better to ask the judicial bodies of the EPO to speed up the process of in-depth examination of the matter immediately and without delay. The Judges who make up the Ethics Committee of the EPO are both experienced and competent and have at their disposal a sufficient legal arsenal to act effectively. What is needed is for them to move faster, not “regulatory initiatives” that will delay them further. We would have expected the Federation to have already acted in order to facilitate their work, but unfortunately it seems that for the EPO the quick clarification of the case is not desirable and for this reason sufficient explanations should be given. Superleague 1 will do everything necessary for this case to proceed at a rapid pace so that any shadow over professional football disappears.

Finally, I declare that I reserve every legal right of the Cooperative against any decision that is contrary to the provisions of the Law and the Statute and may harm our interests.

The President of Super League 1