Congratulations are in order to my fellow countrymen from Greece. Not only have we succeeded in becoming the laughing stock of the financial world due to our inability to cover our financial obligations, but we have decided to mix in a little corruption on the athletic side as well. However, many Greeks will argue it is not called corruption unless you have been caught. Well, it looks like someone got caught.
The good looking gentleman above is Makis Psomiadis. Known as one of the 'Godfathers of Greek Football' this 6'7" former nightclub impresario is one of a group of gentleman who Greek authorities are looking for in connection to a massive match-fixing scandal that is rocking Greek football. Psomiadis is the former president of AEK Athens and Kavala and is known for his 'interesting' techniques regarding the management of a team, the players and staff.
For example in 2003, it has been alleged that Psomiadis used physical violence to confront Demis Nikolaidis, the star striker of AEK Athens. Of course Psomiadis was found not guilty and the excuse he offered the press was that he was merely encouraging Nikolaidis not to spend countless nights partying with his popstar wife Despina Vandi.
Now let's fast forward to 2011. This past Wednesday, Achilleas Beos of Olympiakos Volos and Kavala's Stavros Psomiadis, Makis' son, what a surprise, were arrested along with seven others on charges of match fixing. The Greek press have dubbed the scandal "Koriopolis."
The Greek authorities have also filed charges against another 70 people who have yet to be named publicly and their complete involvement in the scandal is still unknown. These arrests are a follow-up to the government's promise to get to the bottom of match-fixing allegations which are part of a wider effort to tackle corruption in Greece.
As an update to this story, this morning Olympiakos Pireaus president Vangelis Marinakis along with Greek national team defender Avraam Papadopoulos were arrested as two of the 70 people who Greek authorities are looking into.
"This investigation is an opportunity to recover from what is the darkest page in the history of Greek football," said Culture Minister Giorgos Nikitiadis. "It will go as deep and as high as necessary. Our basis target now is to clean up the sport and give the people back the game."
AEK Athens president Stavros Adamidis, quick to add misery to his fellow presidents, stated that the domestic game had reached "rock bottom." Furthermore, in an open letter to the Super League, the Hellenic Football Federation, the Sports Ministry and the Culture Ministry, Adamidis called for the expulsion of all the clubs whose presidents were involved in the scandal and would thus lead to the "opportunity to renew the Super League."
Corruption is as common as nightclubs, olive oil and scantily clad women in Greece. It is merely a rite of passage for anyone who is looking to make any type of fortune in Greece. A quick glance at the wealthiest people in Athens and you will notice a revolving theme . . . either you are a member of the arts (music, sports, etc) or you are as greasy as the good fellow pictured above, Big Mac.
The key to deal with this scandal is to banish every single team involved to the 8th division of Greek soccer, where you and I would be star players. However, I am not surprised, yet more or less disappointed in these developments and am left shaking my head at how far Greece has fallen off the world's stage. A mere seven years ago, Greece were fresh off their Euro victory and gearing up for the Athens 2004 Olympics, now Greece is merely a punchline.
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