Greek government to reform student-athlete university admission system

Greek Minister of Education, Sofia Zacharaki, announced a major overhaul of the university admission system for high-performing student-athletes. The reforms, slated for presentation in November 2026, were triggered by the controversy surrounding the resignation of Deputy Minister Lazaros Tsavdaridis. The new framework aims to ensure that sports activity is substantive rather than formal by increasing the minimum required duration of involvement for applicants.

Key changes focus on introducing a criterion of consistency in an athlete's career and stricter documentation of real competition. While the system will continue to provide additional points for legitimate athletic achievements, the ministry intends to close current loopholes in the broad list of credited sports, which currently includes activities such as Jiu-Jitsu, Pankration, chess, skiing, and free diving. Minister Zacharaki emphasized that the goal is to build a more transparent, meritocratic, and fair system, while clarifying that legitimate athletic accomplishments will remain recognized for university entry.