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The issue with “cleaning up” Greek football starts far back in the years ever since the incidence of corruption accompanied the most popular sport for decades. In recent years, however with the advent of wise guys from ordinary crooks to fame loving personas, the stench became unbearable. The institutional bodies in football, which proved to be unreliable in terms of the main obligation to ensure the legitimacy of the sector and the state, which closes its eyes to irregularities after various governments measured their political price with the strength of each team, the situation reached an impasse. 

The external interference of UΕFΑ was the wick that led the scene of Greek football on fire. The investigation of the European Federation for regulated matches in Europe brought to light tens of suspicious matches in Greece and obliged Greek football authorities to finally deal with the issues and submit a report to the Greek justice. 

The investigation of the prosecutor Poppy Papandreou and the Greek Intelligence Service revealed three "criminal organizations" operating in the field of football in order to gain profits from regulated matches, to influence referees in favor of teams, but also their "friends" to threaten institutional factors in order to get immunity, even preferential treatment. According to the prosecutor's investigation it is believed that head of one of the three organizations is longtime on stage protagonists and behind the scenes of Greek football Makis Psomiadis. 

Contradictory information about the actions of Makis Psomiadis remind a live TV show for the search of missing people. At one point they see him on the island of Mytilene, on the road to Agios Raphael. Suddenly another viewer sees him as a tourist in Palio, Kavala, a few miles from his home. The thriller continues and the silver alert signal in the form of an arrest warrant from Interpol has reached every corner of the planet. 

One eminent supporter 

Makis Psomiadis is a fugitive from June 26 when the arrest warrant was issued from prosecutor Poppy Papandreou, who deals with the investigation of of fixed matches in Greek football. UEFA records identified the senior factor with characteristic mustache, to be one of the main suspects in Greece for the manipulation of football matches, to profit from illegal betting in connection with his work in teams of Kavala. Officially, of course, the majority stake of the Macedonian club belonged to his children - Christina and Stavros. Βig Μac remained what he was in AEK as well nearly 10 years ago: a "distinguished supporter"! But with many rights, such as daily presence in the locker room and the training of the team. Or even visiting referees and opposing teams before, during and after the matches. What about his duties there? To pay players from Kavala in cash in plastic bags when they got the job done! 

Using the super bugging device of the intelligence service, however, confirmed the opinion of all who believed Psomiadis to be the secret boss of "Kavala". Until the moment when the prosecution pre-ordered an investigation into the leaks from the voluminous case of fixed matches, we heard and read scary dialogues with major player Psomiadis. Icing on the cake was the issuance of false medical report in order to excuse him from not appearing in court. There were, of course, also coded conversations about the "high Cisse,” about the “cowardly oaf," about referees, but also about indirect requests, which would allow "Kavala" to participate in international championships. 

He revealed the intentions of the police 

On Friday marked were two months, during which Makis Psomiadis eludes the authorities. Greek police had requested Interpol's assistance because rumors had it that he had fled to Skopje. 

The way the priest's son from Kavala run away, resembles a film. Just like the rest of his life reminds us of the film hero Fantomas. With countless activities, some legal and others illegal, which could send him to prison for life. He has crossed the prison doors several times but few hours after that he found himself in the hospital with severe breathing problems, even though his room in "Sotiria" Hospital in 2002 had a special ashtray for the Cuban cigars he loves so much! 

Stories of people close to him have it that Psomiadis has escaped arrest because he showed more insight than the other defendants. A day before the mass arrests for fixed matches Βig Μac noticed strange movements around his house when he went home. He found out that it was the police and came to find out their intentions. According to people from Psomiadis’ surrounding, the police informed him that they want him to get in touch with a senior Greek police officer. Indeed, he called, they told him that all was a big misunderstanding – since they did not have the arrest warrants yet - and the matter ended there. 

After so many years living on the edge of the law Psomiadis suspected something. And from the following morning he made sure he will disappear before the police surprised him in his sleep. 

Connections abroad 

It is quite possible that even Psomiadis’ children do not know where he is. There is only one persn he trusts fully and this is his wife Lena. But since this time they have pressured him tight, probably he even distanced himself from the woman of his life. Thanks to his professional activities and acquaintances he can find refuge in many countries. Serbia and Macedonia are two of them. Not only because he has associates throughout the former Yugoslavia, but also because these countries have Orthodox churches and monasteries. Prayer in the morning and lighting a candle are a daily habit for Psomiadis. Even if Interpol is after him. Perhaps that is why rumors that say he is on Mount Athos, in a monastery or convent, are considered to be most likely. 

In Canada, outside the reach of Interpol? 

Another country that could accommodate Psomiadis is Belgium. They he created connections from the time he dealt (illegally) with trade of gold with a reference port of Antwerp. 

In recent days, rumor was spread among journalists offices that Psomiadis has hid in Canada. They told him that Interpol’s arrest warrant does not apply there because the law of the country does not allow the activities of the international police. In Canada, there are other Greeks who have opened accounts with the Greek justice system. Psomiadis has kept in touch with some of them for quite a while. 

The strange thing with Psomiadis’ location is that the four mobile phones, which he used to carry around recently, continue to ring in ... Greek. Although no one picks them up. The most important thing is that someone charges them and also that they remain on Greek territory. Whether someone from Big Mac’s surrounding took them, nobody knows. 

Fugitive in ... Psychiko 

It has happened before for Psomiadis to be a fugitive and his mobile phone to be working normally. Of course, even then he did not answer them. Apparently he wanted to see who was calling him and after that he was calling from another line, unknown to the investigators. 

During his previous escape Makis was able to appear in the police system as "a man with unknown location." Keeping in mind that during this time he was living in his home in Psychiko, near a police station. But as he jokingly explained "I was on a diet and they did not recognize me”. “Psomiadis has asense of humor. But he is a tough guy! This is why he did not even shake when they shot him in the leg 1989 when they wanted him to come back to his senses," say his relatives. Indeed, he steadfastly continues his work. 

"I will give myself up if they set the fat one free” 

Even his closest ones cannot say what will be the development of the series with the fugitive.Even his lawyers have stated publicly that their client's intention is to come forward to the Greek justice. 

When and how he will decide himself. He is unpredictable anyway. 

There is a phrase attributed to him which logical reveals his real intentions. 

"I will give myself up when the request for the release of fat one is accepted", he says, and certainly he means Achileas Beos, also a defendant in the whole story of match-fixing. 

And so the release of Beos can determine the next action of Psomiadis. 

Until now, the once mighty chief of "Olympiakos"-Volos has filed two requests that were rejected. Therefore Βig Μac continues to hide. His business, like the restaurants in Kavala and Athens, are managed by his two children, but also by his cousins Harris and Harilaos. They also have half of the Penal Code on their shoulders, but they continue struggling only to protect and cover Makis. In any case he is the boss, as recognized by the whole family. More precisely, all the men of the family because the real "commanders" in the home are Lena and Christina. Perhaps the only ones who can convince him to surrender. But "only when the fat one is released, because then 18 months would have passed", as rumors have it that Makis said. Although clearly someone has not told him the truth because his arrest warrant is being renewed periodically. Therefore, capturing Psomiadis has become a Greek justice bet and is considered imperative. Even if on the next day he will arrange for his transfer to a hospital ... Because successful recipes do not change.