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HFF Appeals Committee overturns a decision imposing 4 matches behind closed doors

HFF Appeals Committee overturns a decision imposing 4 matches behind closed doors

The AP Sports Law Office successfully represented an amateur football club before the Appeals Committee of the Hellenic Football Federation (HFF) against the Local Association of Football Clubs (AFC) to which it belongs, against a decision of the Disciplinary Committee of the AFC. The HFF Appeals Committee overturned a decision imposing 4 matches behind closed doors to a local amateur club.

The AFC Disciplinary Committee initially imposed, for a disciplinary violations of art. 15 para. 3 and 4 of the HFF Disciplinary Code (DC) to play four (4) matches behind closed doors, as well as the maximum possible fine, in accordance to art. 4 para. 4 DC/HFF.

The Appeals Committee overturned the appealed decision, eliminating the sanction of playing 4 matches behind closed doors and reducing the total monetary amount, after accepting most of our arguments.

Important points of the decision:

  1. Bottles of water are not, according to common experience, suitable for causing bodily harm to a person, as defined in the DC/HFF.
  2. The non-notification of the possibility and the deadline for appeal in the operative part of the first instance decision, although it is a necessary element of the decision, in accordance with the Procedural Regulations for the Operation of Judicial Bodies (ar. 27 par.2 of the PROJB/HFF), does not constitute a reason for its invalidity, as this omission does not result in any sanction.
  3. The provisions on the objective and subjective aspects of the described disciplinary violations (throwing objects and fans entering the pitch) of ar. 15 para. 3 & 4 for professional and national amateur leagues (Super League, Super League 2, Third Amateur Division) also apply to local amateur leagues, in the absence of a more specific framework. However, as far as the imposition of penalties is concerned, the more specific para. 7 of ar. 15 DC/HFF.
  4. The use of videos and photographs for the events that took place in the stands and other areas of the field (art. 3 par.2 DC/HFF & art. 15 par.8 DC/HFF) as evidence is allowed at every stage of the proceedings, even without the parties having been informed of the use of such material.