Marinakis: “Restructuring KED from the podium, otherwise the championship will not start after the break”!

The developments of all these last days in the Central Arbitration Committee constitute nothing more than the solemn confirmation of everything we have been supporting for months about the role of Mr. Benett, his position in the K.E.D. and plan to tamper with the championship by the particular circuit that placed Mr. Bennett in the position of Referee and “supervised” the staffing of the KED, while at the same time taking care to keep you in the position of President of the EPO.

First there was the systematic, months-long method of discrediting the presence of foreign referees in the Superleague 1 championship, then came the method of “absence” of foreign referees under various pretexts, and finally the attempted coup d’état any agreement that exists between the Federation and P.A.E. with the attempt to place a Greek Referee in the Panathinaikos-AEK derby, as you did last year.

This fact caused your panic (which otherwise “does not interfere” in Arbitration matters. Really, how did you know the designation of a Greek referee in the derby before the designations were made public?) and led to the “resignation” of Mr. Benett due to the reactions caused. Just so we don’t kid each other: If you think you “walked out” Mr. Bennett and that professional football is forgetting the part you personally played in the installation of this particular Referee, you are deep in the night.

Also if you think Mandalus will continue to appoint referees, you are also deep in the dark and laughing.

Anyone who follows Greek football knows that Mr. Bennett only resigned his salary, because otherwise his role in the Central Arbitration Committee was decorative. This is proven not only by his actions since the day he took over, not only by his actions and omissions, but also by the definitions of the 6th matchday that took place after his “retirement” from the Chief Referee for months Mr. Mandalo, who came to the fore.

This is proven by the placement of Mr. Mohammed Al-Hakim as Referee in the Olympiacos-Aris match, whose presence in last year’s Aris-PAOK match has been unforgettable to anyone who watched it. The specific appointment a few hours after the “retirement” of Mr. Benett from the position of Chief Referee it is not only a challenge, but also an insult to the intelligence of the Greek fans.

This is also proven by the entire methodology you personally followed in the matter of Mr. Bennett’s replacement. In the beginning, you (alone) convened a meeting of the Professional Football Committee for Wednesday, September 26 on the subject of “Chairman of the K.E.D./E.P.O.” and quite suddenly tonight you announced the postponement of the meeting on the grounds that after the resignation of Mr. Benett, the reason for convening the meeting disappeared (!!!).

How does the resignation affect the EEP meeting? Quite the opposite: It makes urgent the search for a change of course in the matter of K.E.D. But it seems that such a thing does not serve your personal pursuits. On the one hand, you assure UEFA in private discussions that you expect from E.E.P. to proceed with the prescribed procedures for the matter of the Chief Referee, mocking them and on the other hand you postpone the meeting of the Committee.

I have repeatedly pointed out that you are just as dangerous as Mr. Bennett and should be followed.

It is clear that even pretenses are no longer being observed and the operation of KED in its current form cannot continue.

My opinion, and I will convey this to the E.E.P. which must meet IMMEDIATELY is that the decision should be made to apply as an E.E.P. by UEFA (and without any mediation by the Federation) the nomination of three new foreign dignitaries who will be candidates for one of them to fully take over the operation of the KED, without patrons, without attendants and without submitters.

The specific process must finally be done with seriousness, with the submission of files/resumes and the selection of the most capable of the candidates based on the experience and scrolls he has in the Arbitration. And besides the Chief Referee there should be two more members of the KED from abroad, so that there is no worn or corrupt material in the new building.

All you have to do is inform UEFA about the “want” of Greek football and let them be nominated by those persons who should have nothing to do with the Greek reality!

The process has been done in the past, when the Big 4 agreed on a Chief Referee after submitting files and CVs and is the appropriate one as opposed to illegal and irregular Benett definition.

The presence of new persons will be able to ensure the upgrading of the level of Referees who come to officiate matches of the Greek championship and Cup. The existing K.E.D. of Bennett, Mandalus, and decorative “obedient” Members it cannot continue to exist as it has been completely “undressed”.

The imminent interruption of the Championship due to the self-governing elections provides the luxury of time that at any other time we would not have. Temporary solutions, or workarounds – which you seem to prefer – cannot be acceptable nor can they be effective.

I believe that any such proposal would constitute clear intent to undermine the league.

Personally, I believe that if a definitive solution is not found with the fundamental reorganization of the KED, the Championship should not restart after the interruption. This opportunity for purification cannot and must not be wasted.

And speaking of cleansing, I imagine that the Ethics Committee of the EPO, UEFA, the football prosecutor Mr. Spyropoulos and the Deputy Minister of Sports Mr. Vroutsis have already started investigation procedures on the Benett complaints about the interference in the referees’ appointments. At the same time they will be requested explanations from all of us as I mentioned above for the involvement of Mandalus which does not result from our agreements, from the Holistic Study or from what the supranational Federations requested, i.e. that only foreigners be involved in the definitions of Professional Football!

The President of Super League 1