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Armed Team Owner Interrupts Football Match in Greece (PHOTO)

A disputed goal late in the Greek Superleague contest between PAOK Salonica and AEK Athens led to PAOK's owner storming the pitch with a little more than a couple of fists.
Sputnik

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.

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