Greek men's volleyball is facing a serious internal scandal that affects its very foundations. The reason is a proposal to increase the number of foreign players, which provoked an unprecedented reaction from the players themselves. The PASAPP trade union organization published an official position, disseminated byvolleynews.gr, signed by 93 Greek volleyball players, who categorically declare their opposition to the change.
It is rare for such a large group of active players to stand behind the same position. The sheer scale of the petition shows that the topic is far from marginal.
What exactly is being proposed
The text of the declaration clearly outlines the scenario underlying the tension ", an increase in the number of foreigners to five out of a total of six players participating in a single volleyball match. This would leave only one Greek player on the court, something PASAPP defines as a direct threat to the development of local players and to the future of the national team.
What is the current framework
The official " Volley League 2025 2026" by ESAP clarifies the current situation, but with an important legal specificity. The document states that up to four (4) foreign players can be listed on the Match Sheet. The wording does not contain the phrase " at the same time on the court" but refers to the registration for the match.
In practice, however, only those listed on the Match Sheet are eligible to participate in the game, meaning that more than four foreigners cannot be used within a single match. Thus, the current rule de facto limits the presence of foreigners to four, even though this is not explicitly formulated as an " on-court" limit.
Why is the reaction so sharp
It is against this backdrop that the " 5 out of 6" proposal is perceived as a sharp crossing of a red line. From a model where Greek players have a guaranteed presence, it leads to a scenario where they become the exception.
PASAPP warns that such a change will:
limit the opportunities for local volleyball players to perform,
lead to an inevitable decline in the level of the national team,
make the championship dependent on imported players.
The position recalls that the greatest European successes of Greek clubs were achieved without a massive presence of foreigners, but with well-prepared Greek volleyball players who were the backbone of both their teams and the national squad.
Who is behind the idea
From the text of the declaration, it becomes clear that the pressure for change comes from ESAP ", the organization whose members are the clubs from the Volley League. In other words, the initiative is not from the federation or the players, but from the club managements, who are also insisting on a change to Article 88 of the sports law to facilitate the increase of the foreign player quota.
Conclusion
The facts, supported by the publication ofvolleynews.grand from the official documents of ESAP, clearly outline the clash:
between the short-term interest of the clubs and the long-term development of Greek volleyball.
When 93 active athletes publicly express their disagreement with a direction of development, it is no longer a matter of opinion. This is a warning that can hardly be ignored.
