Vangelis Batagiannis elected SuperLeague president
 

Vangelis Batagiannis has been voted in as the new serving SuperLeague president, the organization announced on Monday during its annual general meeting.

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Lawyer Batagiannis, who is vice-president of Olympiacos, replaces former incumbent Giorgos Stratos, who served for two years after being voted in, in July 2016.

Batagiannis was the only candidate put forward for the role, and took nine votes from a total of 14 clubs plus EPO, with Olympiacos, Larissa, Atromitos, Levadiakos, Xanthi FC, Panionios, Panaitolikos, PAS Giannina and Lamia all voting in favour.

AEK, Apollon Smyrnis and Asteras opted to vote neutral, PAOK decided to simply announce it was “present” at the vote, while EPO abstained from voting completely. Panionios president Christos Daras was voted in as vice-president.

It will be interesting to see how Batagiannis’ stewarship of the SuperLeague develops at what is a critical time of iminent transitional change for Greece’s elite league. 

There are several open issues which threaten to undermine the SuperLeague, such as proposed restructuring and sorting out television contracts for the so-called “homeless” clubs who have yet to strike a TV rights deal.

THE “HOMELESS SIX” COULD THREATEN DELAY OF SEASON START

Top of the ‘hot potato’ to do list for Batagiannis is to sort out the TV contracts. The six teams who have yet to agree a rights deal with broadcasters could derail the start of the SuperLeague season, which is scheduled for the weekend of August 25-26.

Panathinaikos, Panetolikos, Lamia, Apollon Smyrnis, Aris and Atromitos met before the start of today’s meeting in an effort to discuss their next steps, and according to local media reports they are intent on blocking the start of the season if the league fails to help them secure satisfactory television deals.

One representative of Aris was quoted after leaving the meeting saying: “The championship can not start under the current conditions. We will not play a single match [until the TV rights are sorted out], we’re are determined in this matter.”

NO DECISION ON FORMAT CHANGES

Meanwhile, there was still no decision from SuperLeague clubs on Deputy Sports Minister Giorgos Vasiliadis’ proposals for a restructure of the top flight.

A second meeting will be arranged on Wednesday at 18.00 between the Super League and Vasiliadis on this matter, after which the clubs and league will convene again on Friday to announce the decisions.
 

by Graham Wood

Image Source: to10.gr

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