The Deputy Minister of Sports, Yannis Vroutsiswas hosted on News Bulletin 247 and the show “Pressing” with Vaio Tsoutsika and Michalis Tsohoanalyzing all the new measures ahead of the opening of the courts next Monday.
Mr. Vroutsis referred to the installation of cameras and identification, the reopening of the OAKA, but also to the changes in the links of the organized fans and clarified: “No more jokes about the stadium, no more wild vines, those who are real sports fans should be safe, otherwise the stadium will be closed»!
What Yannis Vroutsis said in detail:
“Thanks for the invite, it’s my first time coming to your prestigious and world famous station“, initially said Mr. Vroutsis and continued, commenting on the new sports law: “The law was passed after a two-month process. I called the PAEs and all the PAEs came and agreed. The government is ready to do something different, we have shown that we want all PAEs close to us as allies. We called Super League 1, institutional factors. The good news is that the law was passed by a large majority. Many parties voted yes on the bill, saying it was time to put an end to it and move on to something new.».
And he added: “The first meeting with the PAEs took place before the law was even passed. They came to OAKA and we had a big discussion, all the groups were positioned and said they are close to us. Then, because we didn’t just want a recording of matches, we set up in the Ministry of Sports control ladders, which went to the stadiums of the 14 PAE, to prepare the ground for cameras and identification».
On the closing of the stadiums and on the fact that only those of the Super League were closed: “The courts were closed on December 12. Above all it is human life. A policeman was murdered, for us it was the reason to close everything horizontally. Let’s not hide behind our finger, football stadiums breed fan violence as we know it. Now let’s stop this phenomenon. We prepared, we made the draft law and we agreed with the whole world of sports, and football and basketball. We have now presented what we want to change, and it will change».
In response to a question about the latest incidents of fan violence and the whether they can be addressed by the new billstated: “Is crime being tackled? The answer is no. These coexist with human nature. Crime is not dealt with, yet we go to bring order and light up every side of the field. What we are doing exists in other countries, we are not inventing gunpowder. There were efforts before me to close these gaps. However, there was no mechanism, the framework of the law was incomplete. What we do is important and a page turner, after 20 years something else will come along and replace the cameras».
About what changes: “To this day, someone enters the stadium wearing a hood, is unidentified and has unacceptable behavior. After the implementation of the law, everyone will realize that whoever enters the stadium from the day, when there will be identification, we will know name, address, phone. These do not exist today, they exist by default. It will also give an insurance to those who do not go to the stadium until today. The PAE will also participate in the audit. All the mechanisms are to reduce the police presence. The cameras will be monitored by the police. He will not leave the fields, he will remain until the conditions mature and there is safety».
As for who will control those entering the stadium: “They, who controlled them until today. There will be checks at the entrances, and the PAEs must contribute to the effort. Today you can enter without a ticket, you can also enter with a “du”. Now there will be identity. If it is found that there is a “do” going on, then the PAE also has responsibilities to not let people in. The stadium is the property of PAE. Then the police will tell the DEAB (Permanent Committee to Combat Violence) that it was a “duo”, and will close the stadium. No more jokes about the stadium, no more wild vines, those who are real sports fans should be safe, otherwise the stadium will be closed».
Regarding whether the stadiums will be permanently closed: “If this happens once or twice, the respective PAE will make sure that it does not happen again. Think of how many international matches not a pin drops on the field. How do PAEs take care of this? This shows how they can impose order. We have competitions in Greece that are exemplary and we want them to set an example».
About DEAB: “Based on the law, which we passed, it is composed of reputable judges and lawyers. Her announcement will be made this evening by me. Where offending behavior is detected, we will close the stadium. We do not interfere in the self-government of EPO, we are together, on the same side. However, we intervene where the State should intervene, in the safety of the citizen. If this is not ensured, the field will be closed, not horizontally, but individually. Two months, when we closed the stadiums, there was no observation from any body».
For the international bodies and whether the new measures will be accepted: “We fully respect FIFA and UEFA, but also the EPO self-government. Today I am waiting for Mr. Lysandros and Mr. Galatsopoulos to give them the gazette of the bill. We are on the same side. We are not stopping the league, but if any PAE does not have the cameras on March 7, it will not have fans on the field. We are taking administrative measures, we are not altering the league. I cooperate very well with the EPO, with the Super League and the Basket League. We prioritize the self-government of the EPO, we fully respect the international bodies, but we have a responsibility, which is called citizen security. We intervene administratively to stop any risk to her. Won’t we have cameras in the stadiums? Won’t we see the locker room? How can I accept that a stadium does not have the prerequisites for safety and remains open? We are not doing perfect, but we are making an intervention, which has no precedent. We move forward, identify the gaps and go fill them now».
On the possibility of “provocation” and whether this phenomenon is shielded by the new bill: “Not all questions are answered. Is it possible under the logic that there might be a provocation, not to legislate? We lose reality, what you say is the tree and we look at the forest, this is the big picture. Of course there will be things of this nature. This provocateur will potentially set off a flare to shut down the field. PAE have mechanisms, why not do it in a European match of the team?».
“The new measures are much faster and automatic. There is a sense of impunity, which will stop. In four days, the DEAB will produce a result. Secondly, what we are doing innovatively is that the penalties will not be subjective. Whoever the agent takes, the penalty will be the same. Assuming that another government comes, it wants to put “other children” in the Commission. To change the persons, he must change the law», complete and underline: “If on March 7th the cameras are not working in the stadiums and on April 9th there is no ID, then you can hang me on the… press pegs. I know what awaits me, but I am persistent and methodical to put an end to this, which has been going on for years. I would very much ask you to criticize the PAE agents as well, if they have not complied. At the first meeting, which took place with the PAE at OAKA, where I described the bill to them. Spyros Vlachos from Panathinaikos, told me “we have bred snakes for so many years, and we cannot now cut off their heads”. I want the healthy sports fan to feel safe. All teams want the best and will be by our side».
For the changes that will be made in the operation of the links of the organized fans: “I was faced with a big dilemma, to close the fan clubs or not. It wouldn’t be fair, though. So, we made a structural change, it has unprecedented elements inside. The links, which exist, will “snap” onto the PAEs. Only one link will be recognized, it will be based at the PAE offices. The elections, which will now be held, compulsorily in all associations, I aspire to elect persons who will talk institutionally with the Minister of Sports. At the same time, this fan federation will have representatives in Europe. My predecessor, Mr. Economou, did checks everywhere, the links will change function. In the next period, the president of the fan associations of Europe will come as a guest, to have a discussion regarding the operation of the links and to set an example».
For season tickets: “All sports fans should prepare, in order to enter the stadium, to register their mobile phone in the EMEP (National Communication Registry), with the TAXISnet codes, so that they can put the ticket in gov.wallet. I would like the sports fans to know that if the season ticket is not transferred tomorrow, it is not the responsibility of the State, but of the PAE. Ticket identification will also go to basketball. PAE will assume its responsibility that no one passes over or under the turnstiles.
All this will be solved to a large extent, in 2024 the big Sports Law is coming, which will be built from the bottom up. I want us to innovate, 9000 e-mails have already gone out to all the sports players in the country, asking them for ideas and opinions. On February 21, Greece will learn something it has not known until now, the elements of sports. Quantitative data, athletes, certified coaches, sports facilities, by prefecture and by municipality. Greece has 63 sports, both Olympic and non-Olympic. All federations, all regional governors will have the data in their hands. We will see where the sport improves and where it declines. Nobody knows this today, it will be an innovative tool. We will see how sports are doing in Greece by prefecture».
About OAKA: “I can’t confirm this as news (ie the Coldplay concert will go ahead as usual), but I can leave a note of optimism. When OAKA was closed, which is a thousand acres and we have so many facilities, we closed three facilities on the same day when I received the study, which spoke of a problem with static adequacy.
The first reaction was to give the study to the technical chamber, to Giorgos Stasinos, and in collaboration with the Polytechnic University we opened the Kasimatis hall at AEK for handball and volleyball, opened the bicycle track and now work is being done, polycarbonates are being removed and I’m waiting until the end of February the expert study and I am optimistic that this study will show that we are going to open the field. I hope that the study, with these works, that are being done, will bring this optimistic result».
Finally, he said:I saw the sports data and called the University of Peloponnese, we made a cooperation agreement. I asked them to do the best comparative studies with the most advanced sports countries. We will change the structure and characteristics of sports in our country, based on comparative studies with the best countries in Europe».
Listen to the entire interview on News Bulletin 247:
Video from the minister’s interview:
Source: Sport Fm
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
