After the forced downgrade - Acropolis does not appeal: "The decision is wrong"

From a fifth place in the Superettan to the threat of bankruptcy.

This is how the Acropolis journey has looked like the last two seasons.

Last year they left the Superettan and then the association was forcibly demoted to division two.

In the premiere in the second against Stocksund, Akropolis lost with a crushing 0-28 and then left walk over in the next match.

Stockholmsklubben referred to a tough injury situation.

An explanation that the union did not buy.

On Monday, the message came from the Swedish Football Association - Acropolis is excluded from division 2.

- We think that the union's decision is wrong.

We think we should get a chance, says chairman Glenn Bovin to SVT Sport.

Choose not to appeal

But the association will not appeal.

- We have had a board meeting this morning and we have decided not to appeal the decision.

We need to spend time and energy on other things in the association right now.

We continue to invest, we lick the wounds for a while and invest in division four, says Bovin.

Bovin is critical of how the union has handled the situation.

- It has dragged on.

We would appeal before April 25, it is not really clear if we can play during that time or not.

And we have not received any clear messages from the union when we searched for people.

It took a while to make a decision from the union, on how to look at the covid rules.

When you have players who are injured, as we can prove, you should have been more generous, he says.

"This could have gone much, much worse"

Bovin has been chairman for almost three weeks.

He says that the newly elected board has reviewed the work that previous boards have carried out.

- When I got the insight I got, I think the Swedish people had been shocked that the previous board has let the management of an association, and some people get the opportunity to run exactly as you want.

Like you had the money in your own pocket.

The association is equated with a company and it must be run according to the existing regulations and this has not been done, which has meant that you have landed in the situation you are in now, he says.

From next season, Akropolis will start again in division four, and invest completely, clean and fresh, according to Bovin.

- The new board and the new management have taken hold of it and made the association stand on its feet again.

This could have gone much, much worse.

We have made sure that there is no bankruptcy.

You will be able to count on the Acropolis in the future, it will take a while but with the new sponsor and the new management, the aim is to come back again.

- The goal is to become an established superettan club.

There will definitely be muscles in the right way and the right direction.

SVT has applied for the Swedish Football Association.