Fifa have suspended European champions Greece from all international competition with immediate effect. Fifa's emergency committee has ruled that the Hellenic Football Federation is not in line with the principles of their statutes, with regards to their independence and ability to make independent decisions. The Greek authorities have now missed the deadline to provide a law change that would enable the HFF to work in line with Fifa's rules.
The decision now means that Greece's proposed friendly with England on August 16 at Old Trafford - Steve McClaren's first game in charge of The Three Lions - is in doubt.
Fifa confirmed their action in a statement: "In September 2005, the executive committee gave the HFF a deadline of July 15, 2006, to obtain from the Greek government an amendment to the national law on sports in order to enable the association to be in conformity with the Fifa statutes and the relevant Uefa regulations. "In spite of repeated warnings from both Fifa and Uefa, the commitment expressed by Greek government representatives to amend the law on sport to irrevocably recognise that football matters can only be decided by the HFF and its subordinated football structures has not been respected.
"In fact, the recently-presented draft of a new law on professional leagues constitutes another example of interference from the government in football affairs.
"Therefore, the emergency committee has determined that the deadline would not be met by the HFF and that the suspension of this federation was necessary."
The decision now means that Greece's proposed friendly with England on August 16 at Old Trafford - Steve McClaren's first game in charge of The Three Lions - is in doubt.
Fifa confirmed their action in a statement: "In September 2005, the executive committee gave the HFF a deadline of July 15, 2006, to obtain from the Greek government an amendment to the national law on sports in order to enable the association to be in conformity with the Fifa statutes and the relevant Uefa regulations. "In spite of repeated warnings from both Fifa and Uefa, the commitment expressed by Greek government representatives to amend the law on sport to irrevocably recognise that football matters can only be decided by the HFF and its subordinated football structures has not been respected.
"In fact, the recently-presented draft of a new law on professional leagues constitutes another example of interference from the government in football affairs.
"Therefore, the emergency committee has determined that the deadline would not be met by the HFF and that the suspension of this federation was necessary."
