Panathinaikos, one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greece is still under scrutiny for its licence to participate in both Greek and European competitions. Having gone through a tough time over the administration and ownership change, the club is still struggling to get over the challenging last two seasons.
Panathinaikos’ fans were shocked when the double winners of the 2009-10 season found themselves ‘headless’, due to the administration’s resignation domino effect. One after the other, all members of the club’s Board of Directors resigned following the violent incidents of the Panathinaikos - Olympiakos derby on March 18th 2012.
Soon after that, a new era begun for the club with the ‘Panathinaikos Alliance 2012’ taking over its ownership and administration. The Alliance, a strong fan base of the club’s supporters, is currently funding and assisting in the administration of Panathinaikos, through a democratic voting system.
However, all these changes have taken a toll on the club. Finishing sixth on the league table, Panathinaikos could not participate in the play-offs for this season and secure a place in a European competition.
As for the 2013-14 season, the club was only able to secure its licence to participate in the Greek Super League after its second appeal, while still being under scrutiny by UEFA’s committee regarding its participation in the Europa League.
Only time can tell what’s in store for the historic 20 times Greek Champions, Panathinaikos FC.
Source: DSG
