Super League matches will be held without the presence of fans, for the next two months, as announced by the government spokesperson, Pavlos Marinakis.

The decisions were made following a meeting of ministers convened by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis last Saturday (9/12).

According to Mr. Marinakis, this measure will be in effect until February 12, 2024, and will also apply to the matches of Group B teams belonging to Super League clubs participating in the SL2 championship.

Mr. Marinakis announced that the "closed-door" measure will apply on a case-by-case basis to home European matches of Greek teams. He noted that the first such decision concerns the Olympiacos vs. Batska Topola match, scheduled for next Thursday (14/12, 22:00) at the "Georgios Karaiskakis" stadium.

Mr. Marinakis began his introductory remarks in the briefing of political reporters by referring to the murderous attack on the 31-year-old police officer. "A young man, 31 years old, continues to fight for his life after a murderous act of fanatical violence. Once again, we express our unwavering support for him and his family and wish him victory in this battle." He congratulated the police on the arrest of the confessed perpetrator of this heinous crime.

However, he added that “unfortunately, through this case, it becomes apparent that behind the actual perpetrators of these acts, often lie one or more moral instigators, those who nurture them and those who tolerate them. The murderous attack on the police officer is not the first incident of extreme fan violence. For many years, criminals wearing the cloak of fans have committed serious crimes, causing severe injuries and deaths. We understand the anger of society, of all rational citizens faced with images that do not resemble sports. From the very beginning, the government has made it clear that it will take actions and interventions to address a long-standing problem," said the government spokesperson, emphasizing that these interventions will be dynamic and constantly adjusted based on their results.

He mentioned the increased controls implemented by the Hellenic Police in recent months at sports events, stadiums, and fan clubs, highlighting the increased closures of illegal fan clubs. He pointed out that with a new legal framework, the overall framework for granting suspensions and the conditions for conditional dismissal are tightened.