In this photo taken on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, Panathinaikos fans clash with riot police before a Greek Super League soccer match against Olympiakos at the Apostolos Nikolaides stadium in Athens. Greece's top soccer league on Wednesday, Feb 25, 2015 has been suspended indefinitely because of continued match violence. The action followed weekend violence at a league match between rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, and a brawl between club officials Tuesday at a board meeting of league organizers. (AP Photo/InTime Sports) GREECE OUT
The Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greece's top soccer league has been suspended for a third time this season because of continued violence at matches.
Stavros Kontonis, the deputy minister for sport in Greece's new left-wing government, said Wednesday that the decision would be reviewed next week, but that games would again be called off if clubs failed to respond to government demands for improved security.
The action followed weekend violence at a league match between rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, and a brawl between officials of the two clubs on Tuesday at a board meeting of league organizers.
"This violence is an insult to all of us and our national heritage," Kontonis said after meeting Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. "When it comes to addressing the issue of violence in football, we will be unrelenting."
Kontonis previously told Tsipras in televised remarks that "drastic measures" were required to pressure the 18 clubs in the top league to introduce improved security, including smart-card ticketing and security camera systems at matches. League organizers had committed to introducing such measures several years ago.
The Greek league has already been suspended twice this season because of violence, and the government said it had taken Wednesday's decision after consulting with top football officials and a police department that deals with major crimes.
There was no immediate reaction from Greek clubs.
Giorgos Borovilos, chairman of the topflight Super League, expressed his opposition to the government's tough line after a meeting with Kontonis - before the decision was formally announced.
"I stressed that this is not an adequate solution to deal with the problems facing Greek football. But he was unrelenting," he told reporters.
"I am not blind. There are problems and responsibilities in football ... But they should be dealt with through dialogue and application of the law."
Olympiakos currently leads the league with 58 points from 25 matches, three clear of second-place Panathinaikos.
Panathinaikos' fans hold flares during a Greek Super League soccer match against Olympiakos at the Apostolos Nikolaides stadium in Athens, Sunday, Feb.22, 2015. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
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Olympiakosâ coach Vitor Perreira from Portugal looks on before a Greek Super League soccer match against Panathinaikos at the Apostolos Nikolaides stadium in Athens, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
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Men walk past blankets for sale of the two top soccer clubs of Greece Olympiakos, right, and Panathinaikos in central Athens, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015. Greece's highest sports official says the country's top soccer league will be suspended next season unless all 18 clubs introduce smart-card ticketing and security camera systems at matches.The warning followed weekend violence at a league match between rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, and a brawl between club officials Tuesday at a board meeting of league organizers. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
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In this photo taken on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, Panathinaikos fans throw items at riot police before a Greek Super League soccer match against Olympiakos at the Apostolos Nikolaides stadium in Athens. Greece's top soccer league on Wednesday, Feb 25, 2015 has been suspended indefinitely because of continued match violence. The action followed weekend violence at a league match between rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, and a brawl between club officials Tuesday at a board meeting of league organizers. (AP Photo/InTime Sports) GREECE OUT
The Associated Press
Men walk past blankets for sale of the two top soccer clubs of Greece Olympiakos, right, and Panathinaikos in central Athens, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015. Greece's highest sports official says the country's top soccer league will be suspended next season unless all 18 clubs introduce smart-card ticketing and security camera systems at matches.The warning followed weekend violence at a league match between rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, and a brawl between club officials Tuesday at a board meeting of league organizers. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
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In this photo taken on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, Panathinaikos official Vassilis Constantinou, a former national team goalkeeper walked out of Organizers of Greece's top-flight league executive meeting holding his lower lip, in Athens. Konstantinou told reporters he had been punched by an Olympiakos security guard. Greece's top soccer league on Wednesday, Feb 25, 2015 has been suspended indefinitely because of continued match violence. The action followed weekend violence at a league match between rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, and a brawl between club officials Tuesday at a board meeting of league organizers. (AP Photo/InTime Sports, Stelios Volitakis) GREECE OUT
The Associated Press
In this photo taken on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, Panathinaikos fans clash with riot police before a Greek Super League soccer match against Olympiakos at the Apostolos Nikolaides stadium in Athens. Greece's top soccer league on Wednesday, Feb 25, 2015 has been suspended indefinitely because of continued match violence. The action followed weekend violence at a league match between rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos, and a brawl between club officials Tuesday at a board meeting of league organizers. (AP Photo/InTime Sports) GREECE OUT
The Associated Press