PAOK preparing to take multi-ownership case to CAS

Following the decision of the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) to support the seven-point deduction for PAOK, the Dikefalos tou Vorra are now preparing to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

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These are testing times of PAOK. In March, the Super League Disciplinary Committee dished out a seven-point deduction to PAOK and a 12-point deduction to Xanthi, with the two clubs having previously been deemed guilty of multi-ownership two months prior. Following that announcement, the two teams submitted an appeal to the Appeals Committee of the EPO, but it decided to keep the respective punishments in place. Olympiacos had demanded the clubs to be demoted as a consequence of the violation.

The Greek government had made a crucial intervention by creating legislation that prevents clubs guilty of multi-ownership from being relegated.

Olympiacos owner, Evangelos Marinakis, had initially accused Ivan Savvidis of holding shares in both PAOK and Xanthi through the ONE Channel, which he owns.

As promised, PAOK are preparing to take their next appeal to the CAS, with Savvidis determined to prove his innocence. However, taking into account that the CAS is the governing body of both FIFA and UEFA, there are significant risks attached for the Dikefalos tou Vorra. If the organisation also finds PAOK guilty, the club is in line to receive much heavier punishments than just a points deduction, with multi-ownership usually being penalised with relegation or expulsion from the domestic championship in question. 

On the other hand, however, PAOK will be acquitted of all charges and punishments if the CAS determines that the club is not guilty of multi-ownership with Xanthi. 

PAOK will submit their appeal to the CAS in the next 15 days.

Furthermore, in accordance with information provided by Live Sport, PAOK and Xanthi could suffer more deductions for the 2020/2021 season unless Savvidis officially cuts all ties with the latter. Reports from Live Sport and SDNA have also revealed that PAOK have found enough evidence to suggest that Marinakis owns another unnamed Super League club too.

Image Source: to10.gr

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