Announcement regarding the decision of the KOP on the ban on the movement of fans
An announcement was issued by APOEL, which states its position regarding the decision of the KOP on the ban on the movement of fans.
“The decision of the Cyprus Football Federation to impose a general ban of the presence of fans at their teams' away matches, is a clear demonstration of the state's inability to deal with individual incidents of violence on the playing fields.
Once again we are witnessing a decision which confirms that there is no plan and no strategy even 5 years after the law to deal with violence in stadiums was fully implemented.
A decision will be implemented which has the effect for one, two or three riots, tens of thousands of other citizens of the Republic of Cyprus are deprived of the opportunity to go to the stadiums and watch football.
We used to say that we would never reach the tragic example of Greece which has banned the movement of fans for 20 years, with very few exceptions, and has gone so far as to organize matches without a single fan because no one ever seriously tried to implement a response plan such phenomena. And yet we succeeded since with the policy that the decisions are implemented, without any plan or strategy, we are mathematically heading towards the complete exclusion of all fans from the stadiums. And we are sure that some will celebrate already, for the measures announced.
In a small country like Cyprus, we are unable to do the basics, within the society, for this and we are coming to implement once again half measures that the damage they will cause, only the sport of football and the football teams themselves will pay. And this happens because the state, the legislators and their agencies, do not choose to provide, but with a light heart they decide, the application of the popular phrase, “I hurt my hand, I cut my hand”.
