Greek season may be delayed after demotions
ATHENS - A sports adjudication panel has demoted Greek Super League clubs Olympiakos Volos and Kavala to division four, a decision that could lead to this week's start to the season being put back.
The two teams, at the centre of match-fixing investigations, were relegated last month but then exercised their right to appeal and the original decision was overturned.
However, the Professional Sports Committee said on Tuesday that neither club had done enough to break their ties with owners who have been accused of being part of a ring that fixed the outcome of matches.
More than 80 people have been charged with match-fixing while Kavala owner Makis Psomiadis and Volos president Achilleas Beos are banned for life from all soccer activities.
The sports panel also said on Tuesday that Levadiakos and Doxa Drama would be promoted to the top flight in place of the demoted clubs.
A spokesman for the Super League told Reuters: "Officially there has been no postponement of the start of the season but we expect an announcement on Wednesday".
The news of Volos's demotion prompted dozens of fans to protest in the city streets and the local office of the ruling PASOK party was attacked.
The club were due to start the season on Sunday with a fixture at AEK Athens while Kavala were due to open up with a game at Olympiakos Piraeus on Saturday.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Earlier this month UEFA banned Volos from the Europa League and they were replaced by Luxembourg team FC Differdange 03 in last week's play-off round first leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
![LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 5: Arne Slot Manager of Liverpool congratulates Mohamed Salah of Liverpool after the 4-0 victory during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Anfield on November 5, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/q3ie7X2vDDiU7X6C9HVRK7-840-80.jpg)
‘The pure simplicity of the way Slot has managed the squad is probably the biggest thing I could say about him. It’s not broken, so let’s get on with it’: Liverpool legend full of admiration for Jurgen Klopp's successor at Anfield
![CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 02: Wales captain Ryan Giggs shakes the hand of manager John Toshack after being substituted on his last International appearance for his country during the Euro 2008 Group D Qualifying Match between Wales and Czech Republic at the Millennium Stadium on June 2, 2007 in Cardiff, Wales. Photo by (Stu Forster/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ooQ9oNmgvfUUG8TBUhn6BK-840-80.jpg)
‘I trained at Spurs and thought they’d give me a chance. But I received a letter thanking me but saying they didn’t think I was good enough – I was gutted’: How Tottenham missed out on signing Wales legend John Toshack