Panathinaikos football club has escaped relegation, after the majority of the Greek football league (Super League) teams voted in favour of the Greens’ proposal for a change in the relevant clause regarding the penalty for failure to acquire a license due to financial debts.

Out of the 15 team representatives present at the board meeting, 11 voted for a change in the rule, which means Panathinaikos will instead now be penalised with the deduction of 6 points and suspended from making transfers from the new season. The teams that voted against the proposal of PAO were: PAOK, Asteras Tripolis, Pas Giannina, while Platanias abstained from the voting.

For the change in the rule to take effect, it will have to also be ratified by the Greek Football Federation (EPO), which will convene next week in an extraordinary meeting to reach a ruling on the matter.

Panathinaikos have accumulated large debts to former players (foreign and Greek) over the years, and based on the previous rule teams were not allowed to take part in the competition and were penalised with relegation.