Giorgos Bandis on Sportish: “Many players have lost their homes, I’m afraid of trying to commit suicide again”

Giorgos Bandis made an extremely shocking and disturbing revelation on Thursday afternoon (20/4). The president of PSAPP wrote in his post on Facebook that his former player Mars he attempted suicide. The reason is the debt of the state, although there is a law that has been passed

Giorgos Bandis agreed Sportish and referred to the current situation where footballers have even lost their homes: “The situation is not good. It’s been a while since I’ve written. Personally, I’m afraid it won’t happen again. Unfortunately this is not the case. These are 45 former Aris and PAS Ioannina players. Many have even lost their homes.”

The state owes 2.5 million for 45 players

The President of PSAPP has requested the implementation of the law (L.3606/2007 n.86 par.13). But what is it about: “It was a time when PAE Aris and PAS Ioannina PAS, along with other groups, were included in Article 44, a law under Mr Orfanou’s deputy ministry. In order to join a limited company, she had to pay off 51% of her debt. In order for these teams to reach 51%, the debt to the players had to be paid off.

Then the deputy sport minister urged the footballers to sign the team’s debt waiver to them so that they could achieve the 51% the union wanted to be included in Article 44. The law is passed (L. 3606/2007 n. 86 par. 13), which states that this debt to football players constitutes an obligation of the State and would be divided into four equal installments”.

But according to Giorgos Bandis, the state ended up owing 45 soccer players €2.5 million: “Indeed, the law was passed and with joint ministerial decisions of the deputy sports minister and the finance minister, the first two installments were paid. Unfortunately, to this day and although the law is in force, it is not implemented. The footballers didn’t get two installments, 2.5 million euros for 45 footballers”.

How do footballers experience this? “The footballers feel both unfairly treated and cheated by the state because they were promised “You sign and I’ll take over the debt”. He’s halfway there.”

There were various excuses, there is no will

The state offered various excuses, with Bandis lamenting that there was no will: “The excuses were that we entered into the memoranda, the situation was indeed difficult. There were various excuses. We as a club solved one excuse, they found a second and a third. There is no will. It’s difficult for every Greek citizen to live in a country that has made a law and is not implementing it”.

For its part, the PSAPP held meetings with the relevant bodies, but there was no result: “Since I took office as President in 2019, we have had various meetings with the Ministry of Sport and recently we had a meeting attended by a delegation of football players who were on the teams at the time.

Angelos Charisteas, Panagiotis Katsiaros and Angelos Digozis from Aris and Giannis Katsaros from PAS Ioannina. We reported the problem to the deputy minister, he’s known about it for a long time. The answer is that he will try to find a solution. Unfortunately it’s been a while. Parliament remains closedwe haven’t seen any result”.

There is an even more powerful countermeasure on the table: “From our side, everything is still on the table that we don’t want and to take legal action. You shouldn’t do that. These should be resolved quickly and institutionally. We want it to be resolved through dialogue and not through litigation, for example, this is the way forward for us.”

Soccer players used to go to the Sissites

The situation in professional football is still tense. In Super League 2 there are unpaid footballers, while according to Giorgos Bandis there were players who were fed on handouts.

“The federation recently had to pay for restaurants for footballers from two teams because some of them went on picnics. The Association will always be there for its members, no matter the cost.

Also something serious because the league is one of the most delayed, it will end late. It sounds like he’ll be shooting until June 16th. Players don’t take vacations, they complete a 12-month work cycle, which is prohibited by law.

The footballers are disappointed, they have reached the point where they do not hope for anything, that the conditions in Super League 2 will not improve. Solutions are there, the will is not there.”