Greeks await FIFA response

England’s friendly against Greece next month looks set to go ahead after the Hellenic Football Federation asked FIFA to lift their controversial ban from international competitions following the amendment of the country’s sports legislation.

Greek sports minister George Orfanos emerged from yesterday’s parliamentary session at midnight having successfully passed the new bill, which guarantees the HFF’s independence from state controls in line with FIFA requirements.

England are due to play Greece on August 16 at Old Trafford in Steve McClaren’s first game as new coach.

Orfanos has sent a copy of the new law to FIFA president Sepp Blatter and the HFF are hoping for an answer within the next 24 hours to avoid the possibility of Larissa missing out on their Intertoto Cup tie on Saturday.

“I can confirm that the Hellenic Football Federation have accepted the new legislation and I believe that we will have the decision from FIFA very quickly which will lift the ban on the HFF and our teams which came into effect on July 3,” Orfanos said.

“FIFA’s committee of extraordinary affairs will sit and publish the relative decision. Our amendments will be dispatched to FIFA Wednesday morning from the state and from the HFF. Then we will wait for the decision from FIFA.”

HFF president Vasilis Gagatsis commented: “The modifications of the bill constitute the agreement of the HFF with the sports ministry and is acceptable to us.”

Greece’s suspension was activated by FIFA on July 3 after world soccer’s governing body ruled there was too much government interference in football affairs.

According to the conditions of the new bill the HFF are free to regulate their operations and organisation and those of their members but lose government funding and relative tax exemptions.