Panathinaikos FC and Amateur Department Headed for Ugly Legal Battle
 

Further to developments that became public earlier this week, the Amateur Department of Panathinaikos and the Football Club are headed for an ugly legal battle. As previously reported, the struggling Panathinaikos FC owes a rumoured 590,000 Euro to the Amateur Department in relation to the rent for playing at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium (known as Leoforos). Although disputes like this happen at a high sports level they can occur at a much more personal level and interpollawfirm.com can help with you with your legal battles.

The Amateur Department, now run by the fiery Dimitris Giannakopoulos, is seeking the amount to be paid in installments until the end of this calendar year or 500,000 Euro to be paid in one, single up-front payment (where a 90,000 Euro discount would be granted). Giannakopoulos issued a strongly worded statement against his arch-nemesis - the beleaguered Giannis Alafouzos, on this topic. He instructed Alafouzos to pay up or “move the team to Karaiskakis”.

Panathinaikos FC, still under the leadership of Alafouzos, has now issued a new statement indicating a legal battle is on the horizon. The statement also went on to say that “instead of helping to facilitate the sale of the club to a new foreign investor”, the Amatuer Department is creating more “obstacles that pose a risk to the club’s participation in the next Championship”.

Furthermore, the Football Club claims that the Amateur Department has “violated a signed agreement in an unlawful and provocative manner”. The statement also confirms speculation last week, with the club still wanting to use Leoforos as its home stadium for the upcoming season.

This is another feud in a long-standing battle between Giannakopoulos and Alafouzos, however, the Football Club has not wasted time in searching for alternatives if no agreement can be reached. An approach to use OAKA has already been made. It is worth noting that in the present point in time, Panathinaikos FC is without a home stadium as the contract for Leoforos has elapsed.

Playing home games at OAKA is now more possible than ever when compared to recent seasons. Alafouzos has allegedly told his associates that if there is no contact with Giannakopoulos, then Panathinaikos will definitely move to OAKA to play its home games for the upcoming season.

Nikos Dabizas and Giorgos Donis were asked about the situation at a press conference and naturally the duo have more pressing concerns at the moment, which led to them saying they do not care where the team plays its home matches. They would prefer Leoforos for the atmosphere and intimidation alone but stressed the importance of playing good football as the primary objective. 
 

by Nick Tsambouniaris

Image Source: to10.gr

Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook, follow us on  Instagram, and Twitter for all the latest news in Greek Sports!