Savvidis entered the pitch after Fernando Varela's goal was ruled out for offside

The Greek Superleague has been indefinitely suspended after PAOK Salonika's president invaded the pitch with a gun during a match on Sunday.

Ivan Savvidis, who had a gun in a hip holster, tried to confront the referee after his side had a late goal ruled out for offside against AEK Athens.

AEK's players left the pitch concerned for their safety and did not return.

The match was officially abandoned two hours later and local police are seeking Savvidis to arrest him.

Deputy sports minister Giorgos Vasiliadis announced the abandonment of all top-flight matches on Monday after a meeting with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

"It won't start again unless there is a clear framework, agreed by all, to move forward with conditions and rules," he added.

Vasiliadis told BBC Sport the scenes had returned the sport to problems of the past.

"Such extreme phenomena demand courageous decisions," he said.

World governing body Fifa has threatened to suspend Greece from international competition and "expects" the national governing body to take "appropriate measures and rapidly".

It added in a statement: "Even though the recent incidents occurred in the context of a national competition, meaning that disciplinary measures fall under the jurisdiction of the competent judicial bodies of the Greek Football Federation, the Fifa monitoring committee is closely following this situation.

"Failure to take proper actions by the competent bodies to eradicate all sorts of violence in order to guarantee the smooth running of the national competitions would oblige Fifa to refer the case to the Fifa council for consideration and possible sanctions, including the suspension of the member association."

Uefa, European football's governing body, condemned the incident and said any disciplinary measures "fall under the jurisdiction of the Greek FA".

Savvidis entered the pitch with a gun in a hip holster

Who is Savvidis and what did he do?

Savvidis, one of Greece's richest men, was born in Georgia of Greek heritage and is a former member of the Russian parliament.

He asked his team to leave the pitch after PAOK had a goal ruled out for offside in the 89th minute and then marched towards the referee with two bodyguards before being pulled back.

PAOK are third in the Greek top flight and could have moved within two points of leaders AEK with a win.

The club was deducted three points - but managed to overturn the sanction on appeal - after Olympiakos coach Oscar Garcia was hit by a toilet roll thrown from the stands at PAOK in February.</s>PAOK Salonkia's owner, Ivan Savvidis, could be in trouble with the Greek authorities after storming on to the pitch with a gun during his side's match against AEK Athens. Savvidis had to be held back after he tried to confront the referee over a late goal that was allowed and then disallowed by officials.</s>Greece’s sports minister says Greek Super League matches have been suspended indefinitely, a day after the gun-toting owner of PAOK marched onto the pitch following a disputed goal at the end of a league match.

Minister Giorgos Vasileiadis, speaking after meeting Monday with the Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, said fixtures have been suspended and would not restart “if there is not a new, clear framework agreed to by all so we can move forward with conditions and regulations.”

PAOK owner Ivan Savvidis walked onto the pitch at the Toumba Stadium on Sunday to dispute a disallowed goal in a game against AEK Athens. He was accompanied by bodyguards and appeared to be carrying a pistol in a holster around his waist.

The match was eventually abandoned after Fernando Varela’s disputed 90th-minute goal, which would have put PAOK ahead 1-0.

Meanwhile, Greek police say they are investigating Savvidis, who holds a gun licence, and four others for illegal entry onto the field and for possession of an object that could cause harm in a sporting venue.

AEK officials claimed Savvidis threatened the referee during his first of two forays onto the pitch before being pulled away.

“We suddenly saw a man on the pitch with bodyguards and everyone started saying it was the PAOK president and he went first to the referee and then to our bench and started threatening everyone,” AEK Athens coach Manolo Jimenez told Radio Marca.

“We didn’t fear for our lives initially but then, when I saw the photographs of the gun, you think to yourself, ‘What if he [did] something crazy and pulls it out?'”</s>Greece's sports minister promised to take 'bold decisions' on Monday after the owner of soccer team PAOK went onto the pitch while apparently armed to protest over a disallowed goal during a match with another Greek team, AEK.

Ivan Savvidis, one of Greece's richest men, walked onto the pitch during an interruption in the match on Sunday night in Thessaloniki when referee Georgios Kominis disallowed a goal from PAOK's Fernando Varela in the 89th minute.

Until then the match had been a goalless draw.

Savvidis, who was accompanied onto the pitch by bodyguards, wore a holster on his waist containing what appeared to be a revolver, though he did not remove it during the ensuing fracas.</s>Greek police on Monday issued an arrest warrant against PAOK Thessaloniki owner Ivan Savvidis for invading the pitch while carrying a gun in his hip holster during a Greek Super League clash with AEK Athens. The football club owner marched onto the pitch with his gun after a disputed goal. Although Savvidis reportedly has a licence for his revolver, he is wanted by police for entering the playing area, police sources told AFP. The match was called off in the 90th minute after PAOK defender Fernando Varela's goal was initially ruled offside, prompting an angry protest from the hosts that led AEK to walk off the pitch.

AEK had complained that Savvidis came on to the pitch with a gun in his hip holster and threatened referee Giorgos Kominos, who was reportedly told "you are finished" by PAOK technical director Lubos Michel.

Kominos some three hours later changed his decision and awarded the goal to PAOK - if the 1-0 scoreline stands they would take over first place in the Greek table from AEK.

The referee could not convince AEK to return to complete the final few minutes after they expressed concern for their safety.

Savvidis had asked his team to leave the pitch in protest after Kominos's decision, but PAOK's Portuguese captain Vieirinha refused and the team did not go to the locker rooms, unlike AEK.

Greek media reported Monday that the leftist government is seriously considering suspending Super League contests until judicial authorities clear up pending decisions on matches involving violence.

Deputy Sports Minister Giorgos Vasiliadis is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and measures are certain to be announced.

"There is no need to talk, but to take tough measures," Interior Minister Panos Skourletis told Athens News Agency.

"The scenes that we have seen have hurt Greek football. Anyone who comes on the pitch with a revolver is provocatively unacceptable."</s>Fernando Varela broke the scoreless deadlock with a header in the 90th minute, putting the hosts on top, but the referee, who first signaled a score, then seemed to indicate an offside causing a frenzy in the stands.

The owner, Ivan Savvidis, invaded the pitch twice accompanied by bodyguards. On the second occasion, he took off his coat, revealing what appeared to be a pistol in a holster on his hip.

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The match had to be suspended and was later declared a 0-0 tie, while referee Giorgios Kominis said the Greek-Russian businessman threatened him.

Russian-born Greek businessman and owner of PAOK Salonika, Ivan Savvides (C), pictured with what appears to be a gun in a holster, enters the pitch after the referee annulled a goal of PAOK during their soccer match against AEK Athens in Toumba Stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece, March 11, 2018

Kominis reportedly changed his decision to allow the goal for PAOK, and the league website currently has the result listed as a 1-0 win for the home team.

An arrest warrant has been issued on Savvidis, as well as four other people, but Skai TV reports it only concerns the pitch invasion itself.

The 59-year old reportedly does have a license; however, even police officers on duty are not allowed to carry firearms inside football stadiums in Greece.</s>Greece's Superleague has been suspended indefinitely after PAOK Salonika's match with AEK Athens on Sunday was abandoned.

The Greek government took the decision following the chaotic scenes which greeted a disallowed 89th-minute PAOK goal with the score at 0-0.

PAOK president Ivan Savvidis marched onto the pitch, with images showing him apparently carrying a gun in a hip holster.

PAOK owner, businessman Ivan Savvidis invades into the pitch during a Greek League soccer match between PAOK and AEK Athens in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. InTime Sports via AP

On Monday afternoon, Greece's deputy minister for sports Giorgos Vassiliadis announced that the Superleague has been suspended.

"We are going for an indefinite suspension," Vassiliadis told reporters in Greece.

"We are expecting a new set of stricter rules for soccer, after spending three years trying to clean the game up.

"We will not restart unless there is a new clear framework with terms and rules agreed by everyone and care will be taken to ensure that the national team's playing obligations are not undermined."

PAOK owner, businessman Ivan Savvidis, second right, approaches AEK Athens' Manager Operation Department Vassilis Dimitriadis, second left, as his bodyguard and PAOK's player Fernando Varela, centre, try to stop him. AP Photo

Vassiliadis was speaking after meeting Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at the Maximos Mansion in Athens.

He said the government is in negotiations with the local and international football authorities to agree on a new set of rules and conditions.

"Everything is on the table and in the coming hours we will make our contacts with everyone," said Vassiliadis.

"We are expecting the proposals from the federations."

An earlier PAOK statement read: "After what happened in Toumba Stadium, PAOK FC president Ivan Savvidis is preparing to take all necessary steps to protect the club and all his executives and associates from the threats and attacks they are suffering."

Greek football has been blighted by crowd trouble in recent times, and last month PAOK's league game with Olympiacos was abandoned before a ball was kicked.

Olympiacos coach Oscar Garcia, the former Brighton and Watford boss, was hit by an object thrown from the crowd, which was reported to be a toilet roll.

PAOK are third in Greece's top division and could have moved within two points of leaders AEK with a win.

The two sides could meet again in the Greek Cup final, but Vassiliadis did not specify whether that competition is also to be suspended.</s>(InTime Sports via AP). PAOK owner, businessman Ivan Savvidis, second from left, approaches AEK Athens' Manager Operation Department Vassilis Dimitriadis, center, as his bodyguard and PAOK's players Fernando Varela, second from right, and Djalma Campos...

(AP Photo). In this Sunday, March 11, 2018 photo, PAOK owner, businessman Ivan Savvidis, second right, approaches AEK Athens' Manager Operation Department Vassilis Dimitriadis, second left, as his bodyguard and PAOK's player Fernando Varela from Portug...

(AP Photo). In this photo taken on Sunday, March 11, 2018, PAOK owner, businessman Ivan Savvidis, center, escorted by his bodyguards leaves the pitch during a Greek League soccer match between PAOK and AEK Athens in the northern Greek city of Thessalon...

(InTime Sports via AP). PAOK owner, businessman Ivan Savvidis invades into the pitch during a Greek League soccer match between PAOK and AEK Athens in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, Sunday, March 11, 2018. Savvidis came on the field twice and...

(InTime Sports via AP). PAOK owner, businessman Ivan Savvidis invades into the pitch during the Greek League soccer match between PAOK and AEK Athens in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, Sunday, March 11, 2018. Savvidis invaded the pitch twice. ...

ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greece indefinitely suspended its soccer league on Monday, a day after the gun-toting owner of PAOK Thessaloniki marched onto the field following a disputed goal at the end of a match.

Giorgos Vasileiadis, the cabinet member in charge of sports, met with Greece's prime minister and said league play was suspended, adding it would not restart "if there is not a new, clear framework agreed to by all so we can move forward with conditions and regulations."

PAOK owner Ivan Savvidis walked onto the field twice accompanied by bodyguards, and appeared to be carrying a pistol in a holster around his waist. He made no move to use the weapon at any time.

Fernando Varela had just scored in the 90th minute of Sunday's match between PAOK and AEK Athens, putting host the hosts ahead 1-0 in the northern city of Thessaloniki. The referee signaled a goal but then seemed to disallow it for offside. The match was eventually abandoned.

Greece has faced an unusually volatile league championship this season, with traditionally dominant Olympiakos - which has only failed to win the title twice in the past 21 years - currently in third place, behind leader AEK and PAOK.

Police said earlier Monday they were investigating Savvidis, who holds a gun license, for illegal entry onto the field and for possession of an object that could cause harm in a sporting venue.

Tatyana Gordina, the deputy CEO in charge of corporate communications at Savvidis' Russia-based Agrocom Group, stressed Savvidis had not made any threatening gestures.

"There were no threats made by Ivan Savvidis, especially not involving the use of a weapon, during yesterday's match," she said. "There was an emotional walk out onto the field, probably a breach of sporting regulations, and nothing more. Most of the headlines in the Greek press exaggerate the facts."

"First of all, FIFA fully condemns such behavior," the sport's governing body said in a statement. "Given that this incident occurred in the context of a national competition, any disciplinary measure to be imposed falls under the jurisdiction of the deciding bodies of the Greek FA."

European soccer's governing body also condemned "the recent incidents in Greek football." UEFA added that because the incidents "occurred in a domestic competition, any disciplinary measure to be imposed falls under the jurisdiction of the relevant bodies of the Hellenic Football Federation."

Vasileiadis, who is Greece's Deputy Culture and Sports Minister responsible for sports, said Greek sporting authorities were "in open contact with UEFA" and would be holding meetings with the Greek soccer federation later Monday to discuss further moves.

"The government for the past three years has given great battles to manage to clean up the troubled football sector. We have won a lot, but much more remains to be done," the minister said. "In any case, we will not allow all this effort to be endangered, we will not allow phenomena of the past to be resurrected."

Savvidis, who took over PAOK in 2012, is a Russian-Greek businessman born in Georgia during the Soviet era who made his money with the privatization of a cigarette factory in southern Russia in the 1990s. His Agrocom company has extensive interests in tobacco, agriculture and real estate. He spent two terms in the Russian parliament between 2003 and 2011.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>The owner of Greek Superleague outfit PAOK Salonika has apologised for entering the pitch, as tempers flared during Sunday’s game with rivals AEK Athens.

President Ivan Savvidis stormed the field of play after the referee disallowed what would have been an 89th minute winner for his side, with the score at 0-0, as images circulated of him carrying a gun in a hip holster.

Fernando Varela had found the net, with the referee initially seeming to allow the goal to stand, before then subsequently chalking it off for offside.

Savvidis, flanked by bodyguards, entered the pitch and the game was subsequently abandoned.

Football in Greece’s top flight was immediately suspended by the country’s government while an investigation was ordered, and now the 58-year-old Russian politician and businessman says he’s deeply sorry for the weekend’s events.

“I wish to apologise to all PAOK supporters, Greek fans and the international football community,” he wrote on the club’s official website. “I am deeply sorry for what happened. I had absolutely no right to enter the pitch the way I did.”

POAK are third in the table and sit five points behind leaders AEK, with Olympiacos, owned by Nottingham Forest chief Evangelos Marinakis, in second, a point off the top.

“My emotional reaction stems from the widespread negative situations prevailing in Greek football lately and from all the unacceptable, non-sports related events that took place towards the end of the PAOK – AEK Athens encounter: the actions of the referee and his assistant (goal – offside – goal), the match suspension, the protests and invasion on the pitch by many people from both sides,” continued Savvidis.

“All that could lead to uncontrollable situations. My only aim was to protect tens of thousands of PAOK fans from provocation, riots and human casualties.

“Please believe that I had no intention to engage in a brawl with our opponents or the referees. And Ι obviously did not threaten anybody.

“Unfortunately, my family and I, as well as my colleagues, have been taken hostage by a totally sick football status-quo.

“Despite the non-stop attacks I am facing on all fronts, I fight and I will continue to fight for fair football, equitable refereeing in all encounters and titles being won on the pitch and not in courtrooms.

"I would like to apologise once again.”

The incident has been condemned by FIFA.</s>
• A soccer game in Europe was abandoned when a club president stormed onto the pitch with a gun strapped to his hip.
• The PAOK FC president was seething at an offside decision and tried to confront the referee.
• The Greek Superleague match against AEK Athens was officially abandoned.
• The Greek government has now made the extraordinary decision to suspend all soccer in the Superleague.

An entire Greek soccer league has been suspended indefinitely because a club official interrupted a game with a gun strapped to his hip on Sunday.

A Greek Superleague match between PAOK FC and AEK Athens was precariously poised at 0-0 when an 89th minute goal was ruled offside. If the goal had stood, PAOK could have gone on to win the match and move within two points of league leaders AEK.

PAOK president Ivan Savvidis seethed at the decision and reportedly told his players to leave the pitch, according to BBC Sport.

He then "marched" toward the referee while a gun was strapped to his hip, but was held back by bodyguards.

You can see the gun right here:

Some AEK Athens players left the pitch out of concern for their own safety, according to the BBC.

FIFA, the world's governing body for soccer, is "aware" of the incident, BBC Sport reports. It said it "fully condemns such behaviour" but would not able to discipline the club and/or Savvidis as that is under the "jurisdiction of the Greek FA."

However, the Greek government took the extraordinary move to suspend the Superleague until further notice following a meeting between Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras and deputy sports minister George Vassiliadis on Monday.

Greek publication Sport 24 says Vassiliadis will make a statement on Monday where he will reveal more details about the suspension, and why this measure was taken.
The Superleague Greece season is suspended indefinitely by the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports after PAOK FC owner Ivan Savvidis invaded the pitch with several bodyguards during a match against AEK Athens F.C. while armed with a gun, after his side had a late goal ruled out for offside.