Greek league suspended as PAOK owner wanted by police for armed pitch invasion

Greek police issued an arrest warrant on Monday against PAOK Thessaloniki owner Ivan Savvidis for invading the pitch – a gun in his hip holster – in Sunday’s Super League clash with AEK Athens.

Although Savvidis reportedly has a licence for his revolver, he is wanted by police for entering the playing area, police sources told AFP.

The Greek-Russian businessman marched onto the pitch armed with the firearm after a disputed goal.

Savvidis defended his behavior.

“Ivan [Savvidis] didn’t threaten anybody with a gun,” his media department told Russia’s Sport Express newspaper.

“It means that the provocative headlines in certain media are totally untrue.

“He carries weapons as he has a permission for it. It’s not prohibited in Greece.”

The match was suspended in the 90th minute after PAOK defender Fernando Varela’s goal was initially ruled offside, prompting an angry protest from the hosts that led AEK to walk off the pitch.

AEK had complained that Savvidis came onto the pitch with a gun in his hip holster and threatened referee Giorgos Kominos, who was reportedly told “you are finished” by PAOK Technical Director Lubos Michel.

Kominos some three hours later changed his decision and awarded the goal to PAOK. If the 1-0 scoreline stands, they would take over first place in the Greek table from AEK.

The referee could not convince AEK to return to complete the final few minutes after they expressed concern for their safety.

Savvidis had asked his team to leave the pitch in protest after Kominos’ decision, but PAOK’s Portuguese captain Vieirinha refused and the team did not go to the locker rooms, unlike AEK.

The Super League was suspended indefinitely on Monday, a minister said.

“We have decided to suspend the championship,” Deputy Minister for Sport Yiorgos Vassiliadis told reporters after an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

“It will not start again without a new framework agreed by all,” Vassiliadis said, adding that the government was in close contact with European soccer body UEFA.