Greece utilizes specialized sports tribunals to resolve domestic sports disputes, with each national sports federation establishing its own judicial panels. These first-instance bodies address issues such as disciplinary violations, match-fixing allegations, eligibility disputes, and competition protests. Appeals from federation decisions can be taken to a central sports judiciary body, the Supreme Council for the Resolution of Sports Disputes (ASEAD), which operates under the General Secretariat for Sports. ASEAD functions as a national “sports court of appeal,” reviewing decisions of clubs’ boards, federation disciplinary committees, and other sports authorities.

Certain sports also have dedicated arbitration mechanisms. Notably, the Hellenic Football Federation (HFF) maintains an Arbitral Football Tribunal (AFT) to adjudicate internal football disputes involving clubs, players, and coaches. The AFT provides a binding alternative to civil courts for football-related contractual and regulatory issues. However, some categories of decisions are excluded from sports arbitration – for example, certain executive committee or referee appointment matters in football are exempt from AFT jurisdiction. In practice, even labor or employment disputes in sport are usually handled within these sport-specific dispute resolution systems rather than by ordinary courts, in line with the autonomy of sports governance.

Greek sports law is primarily codified in Law 2725/1999, which serves as the core statute governing amateur and professional sport. This law covers all key aspects of sports governance – from the formation and licensing of clubs and federations, to athlete status and transfers, to disciplinary procedures and measures against violence, doping, and corruption. It is complemented by special legislation addressing particular issues (i.e. additional laws strengthen the framework against spectator violence and match manipulation), together forming an overarching sports law framework.

National oversight is exercised by the state through the Ministry of Culture and Sports. Several specialized bodies and committees assist in regulating and safeguarding sports integrity. These include the Standing Committee on Combating Violence (DEAV), coordinating anti-hooligan measures and enforcing laws against fan violence; the Safe Sport Committee, focusing on athlete welfare and addressing issues such as sexual abuse in sports; the National Organization Against Doping (EOKAN/NOD), the national anti-doping agency ensuring compliance with doping regulations and the World Anti-Doping Code.

Sports advertising and sponsorship in Greece are governed by general advertising law, with extra restrictions for products like alcohol, tobacco, and gambling.

Alcohol: Alcohol beverage advertising must not target minors and may only be broadcast at permitted hours (typically after 19:00). Advertising must not portray drinking as enhancing athletic performance. Alcohol companies do sponsor teams, but any branding on uniforms or in stadiums must be modest and cannot appeal to underage audiences.

Tobacco: Tobacco advertising is completely banned in Greece in all media, including at sports facilities and on sports apparel. No sports team or event may display tobacco logos or promotions. Only point-of-sale displays aimed at adult smokers are allowed, meaning tobacco brands have no visibility in sports sponsorship.

Betting/Gambling: Betting operators are allowed to advertise and sponsor sports, but under strict conditions set by law and overseen by the Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP). Gambling ads must avoid any discriminatory content or incitement of illegal conduct, and cannot target minors or other vulnerable groups. All betting advertisements must clearly show the legal age limit, refer to the national regulator, and include a gambling addiction helpline.

Greece has taken steps to combat match-fixing and manipulation of sports contests. It ratified the Macolin Convention and established a national Platform for Sports Integrity (EPATHLA) in 2020 to gather reports of suspected match-fixing and coordinate responses. EPATHLA facilitates cooperation among sports bodies, law enforcement, and regulators, with high-priority cases referred to prosecutors for criminal investigation. Greek law explicitly criminalizes match-fixing and related corruption, imposing severe penalties on offenders (including prison terms and fines up to €1 million). In parallel, sports federations (such as the Hellenic Football Federation) enforce internal disciplinary codes against match manipulation, resulting in sporting sanctions like multi-year bans for those found guilty.

The sports betting sector is also strictly regulated to prevent match manipulation. The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) oversees betting operators and mandates specific integrity measures. Licensed bookmakers must maintain anti-money laundering controls and monitor betting activity for irregular patterns. Operators are obliged to report suspicious betting to authorities and to keep detailed betting records. EEEP can punish non-compliance with heavy fines or license revocation. By enlisting betting companies in vigilance efforts, this regulatory framework complements law enforcement and sports bodies in deterring and detecting match-fixing.

Greece has established institutions to safeguard sporting integrity, particularly regarding doping control and athlete welfare. The primary body for anti-doping is the National Organization Against Doping (EOKAN), created in 2020 as the national anti-doping agency. EOKAN oversees the implementation of each federation’s anti-doping rules and coordinates the national testing program. It ensures national anti-doping practices align with international standards (WADA Code and the UNESCO Convention). Sports federations must report all doping cases to EOKAN, which monitors disciplinary proceedings and sanctions. Greek law imposes strict penalties for doping violations – in addition to sporting sanctions (such as disqualification or bans), there are criminal penalties for those facilitating doping (such as significant fines for supplying banned substances).

In the area of ethics and athlete protection, a dedicated Safe Sport Committee has been established under the Ministry of Sports to handle cases of athlete harassment or abuse. This committee works in tandem with federations’ ethics panels to investigate misconduct complaints and promote a safe sporting environment. These bodies operate under national sports legislation while drawing on international ethics and athlete-protection standards, collectively reinforcing integrity and fairness in Greek sport.

Corruption in sport – including bribery of players or officials, undue influence on match outcomes, and other illicit conduct – is strictly outlawed in Greece by both general and sport-specific laws. Private corruption (between private actors) in a sporting context is a criminal offense. Greek sports legislation (Law 2725/1999 as amended) explicitly criminalizes match-fixing and related corrupt practices. Those found guilty of manipulating a sporting result or providing improper benefits face substantial penalties, including fines and imprisonment.

Enforcement of these anti-corruption rules is coordinated through the National Platform for Sports Integrity (EPATHLA), which brings together sports authorities and law enforcement to combat match manipulation. EPATHLA analyzes reports of suspected fixing and refers serious cases to prosecutors for prosecution. Moreover, given the betting-related financial elements, cases may also trigger investigations under anti-money laundering and organized crime provisions. In parallel, sports governing bodies maintain internal ethics codes that mirror these anti-corruption rules – for example, federations can impose suspensions or lifetime bans on individuals implicated in bribery or match-fixing. Ultimately, the most serious sports corruption cases are dealt with by the ordinary criminal justice system.

Greek law provides a robust framework to curb hooliganism and violence at sporting events, combining criminal penalties with preventative measures. The cornerstone legislation is Law 2725/1999 (“Sports Law”, as amended) which specifically criminalizes violent acts, vandalism, and other disturbances in connection with sports matches. Depending on the gravity of the offense, individuals convicted of sports-related violence face imprisonment and fines.

In addition to criminal sanctions, authorities can impose a range of administrative measures to prevent disorder. These include issuing banning orders that bar violent individuals from attending sports events, and prohibiting organized groups of away fans from traveling to high-risk matches. Officials may also order games to be played without spectators or at neutral venues if necessary to avert clashes. Stadium safety regulations have been tightened with enhanced surveillance (e.g. mandatory CCTV monitoring) and strict ID-based ticketing controls to help identify offenders. A national committee (DEAV) coordinates anti-violence initiatives in sport, working alongside police and clubs to enforce these measures. Greek authorities thus employ both punitive and preventive tools to address spectator violence and ensure safety at sports events.

Greek law sets strict criteria for the ownership and control of professional sports clubs:

Foreign Ownership: Club shareholders can be Greek nationals or EU-based persons/entities. Investors from outside the EU must pass vetting and obtain prior approval from the Professional Sports Committee before acquiring a stake.

Cross-Ownership Ban: A single person or company (including close relatives and affiliates) cannot own or control more than one professional club in Greece (in any sport). The only exception allows a multi-sport club association to own teams in different disciplines under one umbrella. Violation of this cross-ownership ban is a criminal offense punishable by heavy fines (up to €500,000) and other sanctions.

Conflict of Interest: Individuals with crucial roles in sport – such as referees, coaches, or federation officials – are prohibited from holding any stake or office in a club that competes in competitions they oversee. Similarly, club owners and executives are forbidden from involvement in sports-betting activities related to their own competitions, to avoid integrity risks.

Fan Ownership: There is no mandatory fan ownership model (e.g. no “50+1” rule) under Greek law. Clubs are generally private companies owned by investors, with no legal requirement for supporter ownership or control.

Multi-sport club ownership is an established norm in Greece rather than a rising trend. All major Greek clubs are structured as non-profit athletic associations under Greek law, traditionally fielding teams across a broad range of Olympic sports. These parent clubs license their names and emblems to separate professional football (PAE) and basketball (KAE) companies (sociétés anonymes) that compete in the top leagues. As such, multi-sport ownership has long been standard in Greece, with no notable recent increase in this practice.

By contrast, multi-club ownership within a single sport is both uncommon and legally constrained. Greek regulations strictly prohibit any person or entity from owning more than one club in the same competition, with sanctions including relegation for violations.

Greek sports law promotes athlete involvement in governance. A 2022 ministerial decision requires that active athletes and coaches are represented on the Boards of Directors of sports federations. If a federation covers multiple disciplines or has more than one athletes’ union, the rule designates the “most representative” association (the one with the largest number of active members) to appoint the board representative. This ensures that athletes’ and coaches’ voices are heard in sports administration.

On the other hand, the regulation of athlete agents in Greece is not codified in a specific statute but is left to general contract law and the rules of each sport’s federation (aligned with international standards). Greek law imposes no statutory cap on agent commissions, nor does it prohibit dual representation. However, if dual representation occurs, it must be disclosed and agreed by all parties to avoid conflicts of interest. Minors also receive special protection: any contract involving a minor athlete requires a guardian’s consent, and international rules bar agents from charging fees to minors.

Greek sports authorities have not enacted any specific national regulations regarding the participation of transgender athletes in competitions. In practice, eligibility of transgender athletes is guided by the policies of international sports bodies (such as the IOC and each sport’s international federation) rather than by a distinct Greek law. There is currently no clause in Greek sports legislation that addresses or restricts transgender individuals in sport.

That said, Greece’s broader legal framework has become more inclusive of transgender rights in recent years. Gender identity is recognized and protected under general anti-discrimination laws, and transgender persons can legally change their gender marker under Greek civil law. This inclusive climate suggests that any transgender athlete competing in Greece would be treated in accordance with international guidelines and principles of equal treatment. Notably, the Athens 2004 Olympic Games were the first Olympics after the IOC established a policy for transgender athlete participation, marking an early milestone for inclusion. Overall, while the issue is acknowledged, it has not become a major controversy domestically, and sports federations defer to international standards on the matter.

Greece has recently established a legal framework for electronic sports (“e-sports”), affirming their status as a form of sport. In March 2022, Law 4908/2022 was enacted that formally recognized and defined e-sports as organized competitive activity conducted through electronic systems. This law, as updated in 2025, brings e-sports under the umbrella of the general sports legislation (Law 2725/1999) that governs traditional amateur and professional sports.

In practical terms, this recognition means that e-sports organizations and events in Greece are now subject to similar regulatory oversight as conventional sports. E-sports clubs and associations can register with the General Secretariat for Sports and obtain official recognition, and an e-sports federation has been established to oversee the activity nationally. The general provisions of sports law – for example, rules on club formation and licensing, athlete status, and integrity measures – can thus apply to e-sports where appropriate. This legislative initiative reflects a broader trend to legitimize e-sports and integrate them into the traditional sports framework through dedicated amendments to existing law.

CAS 2024/A/10308 (AO Xanthi v. FIFA & Radoslav Vasilev) – In one of Greece’s most significant sports law cases of the past year, this award clarified whether a restructured club inherits its predecessor’s liabilities under the principle of sporting succession. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee had deemed AO Xanthi the successor of Xanthi FC and sought to enforce a €231,885 award owed to player Radoslav Vasilev. CAS overturned that decision, ruling AO Xanthi did not meet the succession criteria and was not responsible for the old club’s debt. The Sole Arbitrator noted Greek law compelled Xanthi’s change of corporate form after relegation, making the club’s continuation a legal formality rather than a new entity takeover.

In Greece, a particularly current sports law issue is the extensive state involvement in sports regulation. The government, through a Permanent Committee on Combating Violence, can impose additional penalties for misconduct at matches or sporting events. These state sanctions come on top of the disciplinary penalties already imposed by sports federations or leagues. While this system aims to curb violence and other illegal incidents in sport, it raises legal concerns. In particular, double punishment of the same offense goes against the principle of ne bis in idem (no person should be punished twice for the same act). Critics argue that this dual punitive approach risks undue punishment and undermines fundamental fairness, making it a hotly debated topic in Greek sports law today.