EPO ultimatum to referees: “Whistle or strike out”

Final letter from EPO to the referees to lift the abstinence from the playing fields and blow the whistle next weekend.

The football federation shows a willingness to restart the league and the Takis Baltakos he basically gave two options to the referees: One is to lift the abstention and whistle normally in the games. The second, to have them deleted from the tables if they decide to continue to stay away from the matches. With the above being transferred to the referees through KEDas the federation had informed her.

One can understand that in this way the EPO is trying to pressure the referees to change their decision to abstain a few days ago, but at the same time a rift is created between the two sides.

And this is because the football federation had recently declared that it is on the side of the referees and whatever decisions they make, after the threats received by the Tasos Papapetrou and his family.

Not earlier, h EPO had informed that he had sent letters to the competent Ministers, Economou and Vroutsis in order to have a meeting with a delegation of the arbitrators.

Of course, it remains to be seen if and if she can EPO to proceed with such a move, if it is foreseen through the regulations.

Somewhere here, we should also recall yesterday’s decisions announced by the Professional Football Commission as measures to protect referees:

• The minimum prescribed fines for defamatory judgments and statements / against arbitration officials are increased (it was discussed to raise the amount up to 100,000 euros). The change will take effect immediately if it receives the exceptional approval of FIFA and UEFA.

• Restoration of the commentary of the contested phases by the KED with the release of the video.

• The EPO will assist in the legal coverage of referees and assistant referees on a case-by-case basis and after cooperation and consultation with the referees.

• It will be requested that a police officer from the Sports Violence sub-division be present in the dressing room area at Super League 1 games at all times.

• From the next season, harmonization with the applicable UEFA regulations for the protection of referees in case of defamatory judgments and statements.