December 9 – Greek footballers are to go on strike indefinitely from next week in protest over a compensation deal they claim their employers have failed to meet.
The players’ union says the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) and top two leagues – The Super League and The Football League – have broken an agreement made two years ago to create a special relief fund to compensate players who have been released by financially-troubled teams.
Niki Volos and OFI Crete were relegated from the Super League last season due to financial problems with many players leaving after having not been paid for months.
“The players have been forced to go beyond the limits of tolerance and patience and are tired of hearing only promises,” the Professional Football Players’ Association said in a statement.
The strike action will begin with the Greek Cup third round matches from December 15-17 and continue with the next rounds of Super League and second division which are scheduled to take place from December 19-21.
“There is no other way to try and preserve our professional, economic, athletic and material existence. We ask nothing more than to activate the relief mechanism that was agreed upon. We do not want anything more than what we are entitled to,” PFAP said.
Greek football has been beset by problems on and off the field, with violence in and around stadiums and corruption investigations casting a giant shadow over the game.
Last month the so-called “derby of eternal enemies” between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos was called off before it even started while off the field the Greek public prosecutors who declined to pursue charges against Olympiacos in the so-called Koriopolis match-fixing scandal have themselves been accused of accepting bribes as they considered the case.
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