Five Greek clubs named in matchfixing probe

Panthrakikos, PAS Giannena, Panionios, Atromitos and Kavala are the top-flight teams involved in the list of suspicious matches identified by UEFA, which was surprisingly revealed during a parliamentary session on Monday by opposition MP Thanasis Plevris, of right-wing party LAOS.

In total, 27 matches from the Super League, the second division and the Greek Cup from the current season and the 2008-09 campaign, are being scrutinised.

Former president of Olympiakos Volou, one of the second division clubs named in the investigation, vented his anger at the publication of the lists.

"It is shameful to taint reputations without producing evidence," Achilleas Beos, who resigned as president of Volou on Sunday citing personal reasons, told NOVASport FM on Tuesday.

"I hope I get called on to provide answers in the investigation. Not everything in football is an angelic model but I am willing to participate in any discussion or questioning."

The Super League matches under suspicion are based on irregular betting patterns analysed by UEFA. These include PAS Giannena's 2-1 away win over Panthrakikos on January 10 and Panionios's 1-0 win at Panthrakikos on March 14, which have both been classified as "slightly suspicious" by UEFA's system of classification.

Kavala's 4-1 victory over Agrotikos Asteras from March 2009 was the only match to have been classified as "extremely corrupt".

The controversy is the latest to beset Greek football following match-fixing scandals in 2004, 2006 and 2009.

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