THE Greek FA have suspended all matches in a drastic response to a suspected arson attack on referee chief Georgios Bikas’ house.
It comes just four days after another bombshell hit the country’s sport, with all three members of its new ref commission quitting due to threats from unidentified thugs.
Neither Bikas nor any of his family were at the property, which suffered major damage.
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But no further domestic matches will take place until the Greek FA receive findings from the fire service looking into the case.
According to reports, senior ref Ioannis Tsachilidis was threatened when strangers visited his home last week, warning: “We will f*** you, you won’t escape – wherever you go we will find you.”
When Tsachilidis contacted his two other colleagues on the country’s new Fifa-introduced ‘Central Refereeing Commission’ on Friday, Bikas and Dimitris Kalyvas agreed to quit with him.
Bikas’ home now appears to have been attacked, with the Hellenic Football Federation – Greece’s FA – suspending all matches in response.
The latest problems for Greek football seems to have been ignited by Olympiacos’ 3-0 derby defeat of bitter rivals Panathinaikos on Sunday – a fixture which has been called off in the past over violence.
Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis is awaiting trial following allegations of fraud, extortion and bribery, as one of 28 people accused over match-fixing – including refs and owners.
A statement read today: “Following an extraordinary meeting, the EPO announces its decision for the suspension of all national football championships until the conclusion of the investigation into the causes of the fire by the fire services.
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“The EPO expresses its full compassion to Mr Giorgos Bikas, whom we will support in every way possible.”
In 2012, former Fifa ref Petros Konstantineas refused to fix a match.
A month later his bakery was bomb and he was forced to retire, with a court battle currently ongoing in Greece.
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