Hellenic Football Federation
| UEFA | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Founded | 1926 |
| Headquarters | Athens |
| FIFA affiliation | 1927 |
| UEFA affiliation | 1954 |
| President | Website = epo.gr |
| Website | http://www.epo.gr |
The Hellenic Football Federation (HFF); also known as the Greek Football Federation (Greek: Ελληνική Ποδοσφαιρική Ομοσπονδία; EΠO) is the governing body of football in Greece. It contributes in the organisation of Super League Greece and organizes the Greek football Cup and the Greece national football team. It is based in Athens.
The Hellenic Football Federation was founded in 1926, by a decision of the three major Unions of the country (Athens, Piraeus, Thessalonica). Its foundation marked the organization of Greek football in compliance with international standards. Since then, the HFF has grown into the biggest sports federation in Greece, as football in the country is regarded as the "king of sports" coming first in the preferences of sports fans.
The HFF is considered a private legal entity and a non-profit organization with registered offices in Athens. It is the only exclusively qualified body in Greece to represent the interests of Greek football and prohibits any political, religious or racial discrimination.
In 1927, the HFF became a member of FIFA and in 1954 became one of the first members of UEFA. Amongst its obligations as member of international sports bodies, the HFF accepts the statutes, regulations, directives and decisions issued by FIFA and UEFA and. The HFF also has to ensure that they are accepted by all individuals and clubs in Greek football.
On 3 July 2006, FIFA ruled that the Hellenic Football Federation was failing to adhere to the principles of the FIFA statutes regarding federations' political independence, and as a result the HFF was indefinitely suspended from international football. In response Greek officials put forward a proposed change in the law, however FIFA ruled that it too constituted an interference of the government in matters that should be under the football federation's jurisdiction. Based on this FIFA concluded that Greece would not be able to meet its 15 July 2006 deadline and should therefore be suspended until further notice. The suspension would have meant that Greek clubs would not be allowed to participate in international competitions and that the Greek national team would not be able to participate in any international matches. There were also doubts cast over whether the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final will be played at the Athens Olympic Stadium as previously scheduled.
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