PAOK boss gets 3-year ban for gun incident, Greece faces ban

PAOK Salonika President Ivan Savvidis was banned from allsoccer stadiums for three years for storming on to the pitch with a gun during a Greek league match, the league said on Thursday as the country faced a possible international ban. PAOK were also docked three points, ending their title chances. Savvidis, a Georgia-born businessman and former Russian state Duma deputy, charged on to the pitch with a gun in his belt when a goal for PAOK was disallowed in a match against fellow title contenders AEK Athens on March 11. The game was interrupted and the incident prompted an immediate suspension of the league by the Greek government as world soccer's governing body FIFA considers action against Greece over repeated crowd trouble and violence in stadiums.

PAOK Salonika's president Ivan Savvidis has been handed a three-year ban after coming onto the pitch with a gun.

More: https://t.co/8cuGnfPfGn pic.twitter.com/ygLMCUjwuT

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) March 30, 2018

The Hellenic Football Federation said a FIFA monitoring group for Greek football would recommend the suspension of the country based on the current conditions. "The monitoring group unanimously proposes the immediate suspension of the membership of the Hellenic Football Federation from FIFA," the federation said in a statement after a briefing from the FIFA monitoring committee on Thursday. FIFA is set to discuss the matter in two months at a council meeting but the federation plans to push through changes rapidly. "The board of the Hellenic Football Federation expressed the unwavering will to proceed with changes in the entire structure and operation of Greek football on all levels," it said.

PAOK president Ivan Savvidis has been banned for 3 years after he ran onto the pitch to confront the referee with a gun during their game against AEK Athens!

PAOK have also been fined, deducted 3 points and must serve a 3 match stadium ban! pic.twitter.com/yzJPehMOPT

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) March 29, 2018

The government lifted the ban on Tuesday with Superleague matches set to resume over the weekend. Savvidis was also fined 100,000 euros ($123,000) and the club, fined an additional 63,000 euros, must play three matches behind closed doors. PAOK sports director Lubos Michel, a former international referee, was banned for 90 days and fined 15,000 euros after also entering the pitch and complaining to the referee.

PAOK Salonika president Ivan Savvidis banned for three years after invading the pitch with a gun during game v AEK Athens

— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) March 29, 2018

The disciplinary committee awarded the game to AEK Athens and stripped two points from PAOK from next season's championship. PAOK said they would appeal. "The sanction is harsh and was delivered under the pressure of a coordinated media storm against PAOK," the club said in a statement. "We are proceeding with an appeal and await to be judged on real facts." FIFA has repeatedly warned Greece to clean up football or risk a possible international ban. "The word Grexit is no more impossible. Greek football is going to an edge," Herbert Huebel, head of FIFA's monitoring committee for Greek football, said this month.

The gun-wielding president of PAOK Salonika has officially been banned from football for three years. #KickOff https://t.co/0ovLzAhvmm

— Kick Off (@KickOffMagazine) March 29, 2018