Giorgos Sarris

By Graham Wood

Vangelis Marinakis, owner of Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus, has been banned from soccer as an investigation continues into allegations that a criminal organisation is controlling the domestic game.

According to judicial sources, the shipping magnate has also been ordered to report to police every 15 days on strict bail terms.

Greece named youth coach Costas Tsanas as interim coach of the senior national team on Sunday but there was no official confirmation yet of the sacking of Italian Claudio Ranieri.

The country's soccer federation (EPO) has effectively suspended Ranieri for the time being as both sides work out the financial settlement surrounding his 1.6 million-euro contract.

A prosecutor who deals with sporting issues has called the chairmen of two of Greece’s biggest soccer clubs as well as the head of the country’s soccer federation to answer questions relating to an assault on a referee last week.

By George Georgakopoulos

Two hours past midnight, and two and a half hours after Greece's humiliation by the Faroe Islands in Piraeus, the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) announced its intention to see Italian manager Claudio Ranieri go, after he coached Greece to three defeats and one draw in four Euro 2016 qualifiers this fall.

Under-pressure Greece coach Claudio Ranieri was publicly backed by Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) president Giorgos Sarris on Thursday amid doubts over the Italian's future after his team's dire start to the Euro 2016 qualifiers.

Ranieri, who has been in charge for three matches since succeeding the Portuguese Fernando Santos following the World