Olympics-Greece blocks top sailor's effort for nationality change

FILE PHOTO: Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Sailing - Women's Laser Radial - Opening Series - Enoshima Yacht Harbour - Tokyo, Japan - July 26, 2021. Ecem Guzel of Turkey, Vasileia Karachaliou of Greece and Sarah Douglas of Canada in action. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's Olympic Committee (HOC) on Wednesday said it had refused to allow top sailor and Tokyo Olympics competitor Vasileia Karachaliou to go ahead with her attempted nationality shift and compete with Portugal.

The athlete, a world leading ILCA class sailor and former European champion who competed at last year's Tokyo Games for Greece, has been at odds with the national sailing federation and the HOC for years.