The Deputy Minister of Sport Stavros Kontonis has arranged to meet with UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, in order to discuss the possibility of a solution that will avoid the possibility of a “football Grexit”.

In the past couple days Mr. Kontonis has implemented changes to a sports bill that is being debated in Parliament and which will soon be put to a vote. The main problem that Mr. Kontonis faced was a bill provision to abolish the autonomy of the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO), which conflicts with FIFA and UEFA’s rules.

Failure to comply with those regulations could signal the immediate expulsion of Greek national teams and clubs from all international competitions, which in turn would have an unprecedented financial catastrophe on professional sport in Greece.

In order to placate FIFA and UEFA, Mr. Kontonis expanded the controversial clause, by including a clarification that EPO must operate within the framework of the law and Constitution, as well as the rules and regulations of FIFA and UEFA.

According to Mr. Kontonis, the ball is now in UEFA and FIFA’s court, maintaining that the changes safeguard the requirement of EPO’s independent operation.