Olympiakos head accused over ‘Calciopoulos’ scandal
Prominent lawyer Alexis Kougias stirred things up in Greek soccer on March 9 as he accused Olympiakos Volou president Achilleas Beos of influencing referee appointments and match results and Olympiakos Piraeus president Vangelis Marinakis of approaching the referee of the game between Aris and Panathinaikos before it took place on September 11 last year.
Kougias, a former AEK president and current owner of third-division side Panachaiki, gave more substance to the so-called «Calciopoulos» (or the Greek version of the Calciopoli scandal of match-fixing in Italy) as he revealed the contents of CDs including alleged revelations about the role of various club officials in behind-the-scenes machinations.
The recordings reportedly concern discussions between Beos himself and a journalist, with the Olympiakos Volou strongman boasting about his power to change referees for games and to offer protection to referees and officials.
In one of the CDs Beos appears to suggest that Marinakis asked him to influence the Italian referee of the Europa League game between Maccabi and Olympiakos Piraeus last August, but Beos deemed it impossible.
Speaking at a press conference in Patra, Kougias also alleged that Beos said Marinakis intended to approach Giorgos Daloukas, the referee of the Aris vs Panathinaikos match, and Marinakis gave his word he would do so and would offer him 200,000 euros.
Kougias added that he has spoken to the head of the Hellenic Football Federation, but Sofoklis Pilavios has done nothing to date.
The lawyer went on to allege that the same web of club officials and referees determines which clubs will gain promotion from the third to the second division and from the second to the first division every season.
In turn, Beos announced he would issue his response on March 11, although a prosecutor is already looking into the evidence supplied.
Kougias testified in the morning of March 9 and stated he has submitted the recorded material to the authorities.
