Cyprus Football Association suspends games after bomb attack on referee

To optimise for archiving, the original image and related documents associated with this article have been removed.

The Cyprus Football Association suspended all matches indefinitely this weekend after a walkout by referees following a bomb attack which was made against a referee’s car.

The announcement was made on Friday just hours after an explosive device was placed on the hood of a car in Larnaca, to which it caused extensive damage when detonated but no one was harmed in the attack. The car belonged to referee Andreas Constantinou and the Association condemned the attack stating that it was an “act of terrorism” and that it “breads fear among referees and harms the sport.”

The attack comes amidst match fixing allegations from UEFA relating to suspicious betting activity that took place during some cup games and second division matches, which prompted Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades to take a vow to clean up the sport so that individuals cannot “blacken the name of Cypriot football and of the country.” The President’s comments led to the Cyprus Referees Association releasing a statement in which they strongly criticized the remarks by officials and journalists targeting referees which “only pour fuel on the fire” and could actually end up inciting such attacks as the one seen on Friday. Also stating that journalists need to criticise fairly, rather than launching “incendiary remarks” at referees after they make a mistake or are deemed to have put in a poor performance.

A meeting was held between government officials, the police chief and representatives from the Referees Association and also the Football Association to talk over the walk out and match fixing allegations. But this is not a first for Cypriot referees as in 2015 there were three separate bomb attacks against them, including one at the house of a referee’s mother.   

UEFA has announced that they will be sending a team over to the island in order to try and resolve the referee walk out so that games can be scheduled once again and to also find a solution for the alleged match fixing.  

You may also like

View All

High Court permits Wimbledon site extension despite protests

39 new courts will be added to the Wimbledon site despite protests against the expansion

Read More

Chinese swimmers top anti-doping tests as World Championships begin in Singapore

Chinese swimmers have undergone more anti-doping tests this year than swimmers from any other country ahead of the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore this month, according to a report by the Aquatics Integrity Unit

Read More

The Open to employ Spidercam on 18th green at Portrush

For the first time in golf history, The Open will utilise Spidercam technology, and it will be used on the 18th green at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland

Read More