Foreign referee set to preside over Greek league match

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL

A foreign referee is set to take charge of Sunday’s Greek Super League match between AEK Athens and PAOK.

Due to security measures, Finnish referee Mattias Gestranius will take charge at the match of two Greek football teams on Sunday.

The move to have foreign officials referee important matches in Greece comes amid rising violence and match-fixing in Greek football.

Last season, Ivan Savvidis, the chairman of Greek football club PAOK, was banned from football for three years after he stormed the pitch to confront the referee during a match against AEK Athens, apparently with a gun on his person.