A Greek deputy minister is facing allegations that his teenage daughter was improperly included on a championship-winning handball team to secure additional points in Greece’s highly competitive university admissions system.
According to an investigation by Greek television network Mega, the 17-year-old joined a girls’ handball club in Thessaloniki in autumn 2025 despite living in Athens. Parents of other players allege she never attended training or played in a match but appeared at games so her name could be included on official team rosters.
The club subsequently won Greece’s national girls’ championship for the 2025-26 season, making eligible players entitled to bonus points in the nationwide university entrance examinations.
Under the applicable rules, athletes listed on match records for more than half the season could qualify for the benefit, even without playing.
The deputy minister’s daughter allegedly met that requirement and received a 10% admissions bonus.
The team’s coach told Mega that he had been forced to exclude two other players to accommodate her. He said he was told the teenager was a minister’s daughter whose involvement could bring financial assistance to the club.
Parents subsequently filed a complaint with the Greek Handball Federation, alleging that club officials had acknowledged the arrangement was intended to secure admissions benefits in exchange for financial support.
According to Mega, the federation didn't substantively address the allegations, although it rejected transfers involving 14 club players.
The parents have since appealed to Greece’s highest sports-dispute resolution body.
Mega reported that it contacted the deputy minister, who declined to comment.
