Call it a “strategic withdrawal”. The relevant minister on Monday said he won’t submit legislatiοn threatening the Greek football federation’s autonomy – something FIFA and UEFA directly warned would be lead to Greek teams’ exclusion from international play!

Deputy minister Stavros Kontonis told Parliament that he’ll make changes and amendments in the pending draft bill, which aims to combat corruption and hooliganism in Greece’s pro leagues.

“We’re not going to intervene in their (administrative) autonomy, what we’re interested in is putting an end to an unusual type of automony,” he said, adding that the changes will come after a meeting with UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino on Wednesday.

The draft bill is expected to be tabled in a Parliament plenum in early May.