ATHENS, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Greece's premier league returns to action this weekend after a month-long shutdown but there is still no solution in sight to the financial crisis gripping the game.
The strike action from the League of Professional Clubs
(EPAE) followed the government's refusal to compensate teams for
loss of earnings in the wake of the collapse of a digital TV
broadcaster in September.
EPAE has proposed the creation of a separate company to
manage financial issues but has failed to reach agreement with
the sports ministry over access to some of the profits from
state-controlled betting.
The highlight of the postponed matches comes on Saturday in
Thessaloniki, where Olympiakos face title rivals PAOK Salonika.
After their impressive Champions League draw away to Real
Madrid in midweek, AEK Athens return to domestic action at home
to new boys Kallithea, while Panathinaikos entertain Aris
Salonika.
Club chiefs face the prospect of a second strike, this time
by the players, after proposing that salaries be cut by up to 20
percent.
The Players Union chief Antonis Antoniadis said on Monday
that the players would not even consider negotiations on the
issue.
Greece is the latest European country to be hit by the
failure of digital television broadcasters to make money from
the sport.
The financial crisis followed the September collapse of
Alpha Digital which held broadcast contracts with the majority
of Greece's top teams.
- NEWS
