Cyprus-Forum.com

[james_mav]

Greece have qualified for the world cup with a 1-0 victory over Ukraine in Kiev tonight...so much for your theory!!

Well done!!
Lets hope they don't embarrass us like in '94

Or like in 2004!

[yialousa1971]

Greece have qualified for the world cup with a 1-0 victory over Ukraine in Kiev tonight...so much for your theory!!

[yialousa1971]

‘We are one step before disaster’
By George Psyllides

A 20-YEAR-OLD was in a critical condition yesterday after he was brutally beaten during fights between rival football fans in Nicosia. The young man is on a ventilator and said to be fighting for his life.

A few hours later, a football game in Larnaca was cut short after further fan violence.

The 20-year-old APOEL fan suffered heavy head injuries during clashes with city rivals Omonia at a futsal facility just outside Nicosia.

The two teams were not even playing each other on Sunday.

The chairman of the Cyprus Sports Organisation (KOA) Nicos Kartakoulis said it was not an issue of football and sports any longer.

“The problem has left the sports arenas,” he told state radio. “There are political implications, social implications, economic implications.”

“It is out of control, we are one step before disaster,” Kartakoulis said.

He said both clubs have made mistakes and should plan a series of actions to give the message that this needs to stop.

Details as to who started the incident are unclear, as the two sides have accused each other of instigating the violence.

In a statement on their official website, APOEL fans, who had been travelling to Larnaca for an away game, claimed they had been ambushed on the motorway by stone-throwing Omonia fans who were attending a youth tournament at the futsal ground nearby.

“To protect their property [cars] and themselves, after the stone-throwing, APOEL fans got out of their vehicles and some chased the Omonia fans down to the futsal grounds,” a statement said.

There, they were expected by around 100 Omonia fans wielding hockey sticks, iron bars, stones and sticks, the APOEL fanclub said.

A photograph in daily Politis shows what appear to be three Omonia fans using hockey sticks to beat a man who is on the ground wearing an orange T-shirt – the colours of APOEL fans.

Omonia’s fanclub maintains APOEL fans came out of their cars wearing helmets and hoods attacked them and even injured children taking part in the tournament organised by the club.

The club said there is a video “that clearly shows that the attack came from APOEL fans, who hurled flares and stones on the grounds and shows how people were injured and the subsequent trouble.”

A witness confirmed a futsal tournament was taking place at the time the trouble started.

He said the APOEL “Orange” fans were on the motorway taunting and throwing stones before they came down and the clashes started.

As for the hockey sticks, the witness said apparently the Omonia fans were carrying them with them.

It is understood that police had been on the scene before the trouble as a precaution but left after it was judged that all travelling APOEL fans gone through.

Police said they arrested three people and arrest warrants were issued for three more.

The injured 20-year-old is also a suspect.

All the suspects are males aged between 17 and 24, police said.

The trouble came a couple of hours before a game between Nea Salamina and APOEL in Larnaca was interrupted due to fan violence.

The game had been interrupted twice before the 75th minute when the referee decided to abandon the game because fans hurled objects at each other and the assistant referee.

More stones were thrown after the game, slightly injuring seven police officers.

Police yesterday suggested to the Cyprus Football Federation to ban fans travelling to away games that are deemed high-risk.

Authorities also appealed for a de-escalation of the tension between the supporters of Omonia and APOEL and contribute to breaking the case and bring those responsible before justice.

The CFA said it will discuss the matter in today’s meeting of the executive committee and the board. The matter will also be discussed today by the House Education Committee.

Meanwhile a major media network said yesterday it would remove inflammatory content from its sports programmes.

The Antenna channel said it would change the format of its radio sports show Kerkida by refusing to take calls from ordinary fans. From now on, the show would take calls only from sports officials and club representatives.

In addition, its Replay television show would for one month stop broadcasting a ticker on the bottom of the screen that features SMS messages sent by football fans.

Antenna said it would also no longer host any press releases or announcements issued by clubs which “are deemed by the channel to contain incendiary content”.




Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2009

Maybe we need to send you in to stop the violence. Lana to the rescue.

[Get Real!]

Ma thore mou bou esinahtigan oulli oi kalamaroboutti damesa…

[Cap]

So far Apoel is losing 2-1 to Chelsea
I predict a 4-1 or 5-1 demolition...

[kurupetos]

Ma thore mou bou esinahtigan oulli oi kalamaroboutti damesa…

...including you!

[Cap]

I was WRONG!!!

[FragnaticDeath]

It's really sad what is happening with this stupid fans. I fucking h8 it. I don't see the reason why should they act like that!

I have been a football player since 4 years old till 18 years old were I got injured. I have NOT ONCE ever thought of going to watch this teams play on a regular basis and havent supported any of them. Went a few times just for the experience and turned out to make me feel like this:

1st The players suck theres way better young players but they dont use them cause of the MESO
2nd Its so fucking annoying watching all this IDIOTS cursing the players WITHOUT HAVING A CLUE HOW TO PLAY FOOTBALL.
3rd The violence. Where is the respect towards the sport. WTF did any of the opposing team fans ever do to you, to have so much anger and kill them. I think its more like the mentality hey im going to be tough kicking their ass so I look COOL!.

Seriously I hope this fans get cancer and die. They dont deserve to live for acting like that and giving wrong impression to younger kids.

Champions league is so much better. Went to the barcelona vs lioness in May or something at Spain and GOD what a great experience. Payed 130 euros for a ticket to sit front row and it was worth it without a doubt. Hope i do it in the near futre again.

[sniper]

most of the cypriot teams have foreign players in them, and most of the foreigners are from Africa (like me ). but most of the good players come from poor countries. and if you watch the youngsters in these poor countries playing on the roads they are really good, but they do not have connections to get them a place on a good team.....

[kurupetos]

I was WRONG!!!

Well done to you too for admitting your stupidity.