Cyprus Football Association (CFA) boss Costakis Koutsokoumnis was yesterday scrambling to assemble a new appeals committee with time quickly running out to declare which side will be 2013-2014 Cyprus champions.
Speaking to Kerkida.net yesterday, Koutsokoumnis (photo) said this Saturday’s controversial replay between AEL and APOEL will go ahead as normal and as ruled by the tribunal because of the collapse of the appeals body.
“If we had had the decision of the Appeals Committee, we would have moved according to their ruling. But from the moment that there is no appeals committee, then the original [tribunal] ruling still stands and we are obliged to follow it.
“The resignation of the appeals committee was prompted as a result of the actions of the two clubs. When a new appeals committee is found, its first job will be to look into the appeal of APOEL. If a new committee is not established by tomorrow [today] morning – which would mean that it can rule on the case by Sunday the latest, then the CFA will have time at least to file to UEFA the Cypriot representatives for the new season’s European competitions.”
Koutsokoumnis had previously called a meeting with the chairmen of the island’s top club sides.
The CFA have until Monday to send UEFA the list with the Cypriot sides for European competitions and the list for the Champions League places will be based on Saturday’s game, which will take place behind closed doors at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaca.
The May 17 title decider between AEL and APOEL at Limassol’s Tsirio stadium was stopped in the 51st minute after APOEL’s Brazilian defender Kaka suffered a head injury when a firework allegedly launched by an AEL fan went off in the team’s bench.
APOEL had demanded the three points but the CFA tribunal ruled in favour of a replay of the game prompting APOEL chairman Prodromos Petrides to appeal the decision.
But a day before the appeal committee was set to preside over the ruling, APOEL organised a peaceful protest outside the CFA headquarters whilst also demanding the resignations of Koutsokoumnis and the head of the tribunal body.
The following day, all the members of the appeals body resigned from their posts throwing the outcome league title decider into further disarray.
Current UEFA treasurer and former CFA president Marios Lefkaritis yesterday told Sigma television that he has “never experienced something like this before” adding that UEFA “could perhaps give the CFA a one week grace period to file the list with the Cypriot representatives in Europe this season.”
Lefkaritis went on to say that the recent events has given Cyprus the worst possible image in Europe.
“These events are unprecedented,” said Lefkaritis. “I am not blaming the appeals committee members for resigning. They were under tremendous pressure from all sides including the clubs and their officials. In order for Cypriot football to move forward, things need to be dealt with properly.”
The big question mark hanging over the fate of the league title and the subsequent row that has erupted between AEL and APOEL has also cast doubt over the future of Koutsokoumnis with media reports yesterday claiming that that some of the clubs will demand his immediate resignation.
Both clubs have continued training ahead of the game which will take place behind closed doors on Saturday and which will see AEL clinch the league title if they avoid defeat against Giorgos Donis’ APOEL.
Meanwhile, the players of APOEL held a meeting last night to discuss on the ongoing issue.
Cyprus Weekly