Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Nottingham Forest and Olympiakos, has decided to step down from his position as the president of the Greek Super League. This decision comes in response to the Greek government's announcement that top-flight matches will be held without spectators for the next two months to address violence issues.
Marinakis, who has served as president since June 2022, expressed his reasons for stepping down in a letter to the Greek league's board of directors, stating, "The words of certain board members are not consistent with their actions." He added, "I've neither the time nor the desire to continue to be involved in the management of the league."
The decision to play top-flight football matches behind closed doors in Greece is set to remain in effect until February 12, 2024. The Greek government took this action following a severe injury to a police officer during violent clashes at a volleyball match between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos. Marinakis own both of these teams, and hooliganism has been a persistent issue in Greek football, prompting government intervention, including an increase in the maximum sentence for fan violence crimes last year.
