Greeks assure UEFA of changes to sports bill

Milan: UEFA Secretary General Gianni Infantino received assurances on Wednesday from the Greek government that changes will be made to a proposed sports law which will see the country avoid a suspension from international competition.

"I think that the outcome of the meeting was positive but we`re not there yet," Infantino said after meeting with Greece`s deputy sports minister Stavros Kontonis and other officials.

Infantino said he would wait for the assurances to be put on paper so that world governing body FIFA and UEFA would not have to take disciplinary action against Greek clubs.

Kontonis said that the changes will be made before the bill -- aimed at tackling violence in sport -- is taken to the parliament for voting on May 7.

"It is essential that the self-governance of the Greek federation is protected. We will not accept a law which puts into question the self-governance of the federation," Infantino said.

"We have been assured that the changes will be made."

Greek football federation president Giorgos Gkirtzikis also said that the government had assured him the changes will be made "as it is certain that we don`t want our teams to be banned from international competition."

FIFA and UEFA had warned in a fax last week that the country`s national and club sides face a ban from international competition if the Greek parliament adopts legislation abolishing the independence of the federation.

Kontonis said last week that despite disagreements with FIFA and UEFA his government plans to go ahead with an auditing and supervisory role in all aspects of sports in Greece.

Under the new legislation the government would have the right to impose fines ranging from 10,000 to 25 million euros ($11,000-27.5m, £7,160-17.9m) for violent incidents, to order the postponement or cancellation of sporting events and even to prohibit teams from playing in European competition.

The legislation also includes the possibility of fines to be imposed on media outlets for showing or inciting violence and prison for individuals from unrecognised supporters clubs for issuing tickets.

It also sets out guidelines on the use of cameras and electronic ticketing while referees will be required to submit financial statements of their wealth to the relevant authorities.

"Given the circumstances, we hereby inform you that should the bill be adopted as proposed, we will have no option but to refer the case to the relevant FIFA and UEFA bodies for immediate sanctions, including the suspension of the Greek soccer federation," said the fax signed by Jerome Valcke and Infantino, the Secretary Generals of FIFA and UEFA respectively.

The officials said that the suspension of the federation would mean "that no Greek team of any sort, including clubs, could take part in FIFA or UEFA competitions."

The Greek top flight has been suspended on three separate occasions this season because of various problems with violence, including at the end of February in the wake of trouble at a meeting of champions Olympiakos and their bitter rivals Panathinaikos.