Greek football federation faces FIFA expulsion because of violence

PAOK owner, businessman Ivan Savvidis, second right, approaches AEK Athens' Manager Operation Department Vassilis Dimitriadis, second left, as his bodyguard and PAOK's player Fernando Varela from Portugal, center, try to stop him during a Greek League soccer match. (AP)

ATHENS: FIFA says Greece faces being expelled from international soccer competitions because of widespread violence throughout the league structure there.
Herbert Huebel says a series of incidents, culminating with the gun-toting club owner running onto the field to protest a disallowed goal in a recent PAOK v AEK Athens game, are “to be very polite, unacceptable.”
Huebel met with Greek government and league officials in Athens on Wednesday following Sunday’s incident in Thessaloniki.
The government has indefinitely suspended league play after PAOK owner Ivan Savvidis rushed onto the field when the referee disallowed the goal, brandishing a gun.
The Greek soccer federation says it will draft a declaration against violence by March 23, after which the government will review its position.