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Player held for attack on ref at Thessaloniki soccer game

Player held for attack on ref at Thessaloniki soccer game

Police in Thessaloniki in northern Greece arrested on Monday a 21-year-old soccer player who physically assaulted and injured a referee on Sunday.

The incident occurred in the area of Halkidona at the end of an amateur league game between Filippos Eleousas and Ethnikos Meteoron.

A 46-year-old supporter was also arrested after running onto the pitch and verbally abusing the referee. Greece has been plagued by soccer-related violence and corruption for decades.

Last month, UEFA, the governing body of soccer in Europe, agreed to help Greece overhaul its professional leagues to curb violence and corruption.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin signed a seven-page agreement with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to provide assistance to the Greek Soccer Federation.

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