Football: Greece suspends professional football leagues indefinitely over violence

Smoke from flares lit by Panathinaikos' fans rises during the Greek Super League football match between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos at Leoforos stadium in Athens on Feb 22, 2015. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Smoke from flares lit by Panathinaikos' fans rises during the Greek Super League football match between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos at Leoforos stadium in Athens on Feb 22, 2015. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

ATHENS, (REUTERS) - Matches in Greece's professional football leagues have been suspended indefinitely in a crackdown on violence, the Greek Super League said on Wednesday.

The move follows a pitch invasion at the end of the Athens derby last weekend and a Super League board meeting which ended in a brawl on Tuesday, with Greece's recently-elected Syriza ruling party aiming to stamp out the problem of crowd violence.

"What we have been informed is that the Super League and the Football League have been suspended indefinitely," Super League president Giorgos Borovilos told reporters.

"We have a new government who are looking to bring this subject up for discussion and implement state laws related to it."

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