ATHENS: Vangelis Marinakis, owner of record Greek champions Olympiacos, and 27 other people who had been charged with him in a match-fixing scandal in 2012 and 2013, have been acquitted by an appeals court.

Marinakis, who also owners English second-tier club Nottingham Forest, had always denied wrongdoing.

The court ruled that the evidence was insufficient to support charges of participation in a criminal group and the dictating the outcome of matches.

In addition to Marinakis, former Greek federation president Giorgos Sarris, as well as referees and players and managers of several top division clubs were among the accused.

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