Shock as verdict returns the points deducted from PAOK

Nineteen hours before the kickoff of what has been billed as the title decider between PAOK and AEK, the Greek soccer federation's appeals committee surprisingly canceled the three-point deduction imposed on PAOK for the match against Olympiakos and allowed the Sunday evening derby to take place with fans at the Toumba stands.

In a shocking verdict that is seen to undermine the credibility of the league, EPO's Appeals Committee announced after midnight on Saturday that although it holds PAOK responsible for the till roll that struck Olympiakos manager Oscar Garcia before the start of the PAOK vs Olympiakos game in February at Toumba, the penalty imposed should not refer to the match being abandoned but canceled, so the points deduction and the stadium ban should not apply.

Although the verdict does give Olympiakos a 3-0 win in that game, it accepts PAOK's appeal...