Two years after the Greek national team stunned the world by beating the likes of France, the Czech Republic and Portugal (twice) en route to its Euro 2004 triumph, Greek soccer is in disgrace due to its government’s insistence on running the national soccer federation (HFF). The Greeks are now likely to be denied the right to defend their title as result of sanctions imposed by FIFA. HFF, like all national soccer organizations, reports to FIFA, soccer’s world governing body. The organization responded to Greece’s soccer coup by banning its club and national teams from all international competitions, including Euro 2008 qualifying. Why? Because FIFA has the final say on just about anything that occurs in the sport. A new statute passed by the conservative Greek government gives government officials the ultimate authority over the administration of Greek soccer, not the HFF. FIFA makes it clear that this is not okay, and will continue to impose international sanctions on Greek soccer until the government relinquishes control to the HFF. Representatives from Panathinaikos and Olympiakos, the top Greek club teams, expressed their support for the Greek soccer association, calling the crisis an “unheard-of catastrophe.”