ATHENS: Evangelos Marinakis, miloionaire owner of record Greek champions Olympiacos, has been cleared of forming a match-fixing ring by the country’s Supreme Court though he may still face a bribery charge.

The bribery allegations against Marinakis, who also owns English second-tier Nottingham Forest, concern match manipulation and have been referred to a judicial council to determine whether to proceed.

Marinakis denies any wrongdoing.  The 50-year-old also faces charges of drug trafficking, which he denies.

On Friday, prosecutors in Piraeus, where Super League club Olympiakos is based, said the shipping magnate and three of his associates were facing “very serious charges” after an investigation into a tanker that was was carrying 2.1 tonnes of heroin in 2014.

Marinakis has said he is “innocent” and “a victim of a plot”.

The Supreme Court’s ruling came after Marinakis had been charged at Athens Court of Appeals in November with forming a match-fixing ring.

Related blackmail and fraud charges against him have been dropped after being re-examined by the Supreme Court.

When Marinakis bought two-time European Cup winners Nottingham Forest in May, he said allegations he was involved in a “criminal organisation” were invented by “jealous” opponents to “destroy” his success with Olympiacos.

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