Two APOEL FC fans are facing stadium bans after being identified via CCTV using prohibited laser pens to distract Ethnikos Achnas goalkeeper Martin Bogadinov during a football game last month.
The men, aged 57 and 17, both from Nicosia, admitted guilt under questioning on February 15 after SBA Police officers used Fan Cards and CCTV to pinpoint them in the away end during APOEL’s 2-1 loss to the hosts.
The match, which attracted close to 4,000 spectators within the SBAs, was one of the final games to be played with away fans present after the Cyprus Football Association issued a country-wide ban on visiting supporters due to escalating violence inside stadiums.
SBA Police Superintendent Panicos Panayi, who headed up the police operation during the match, said the arrests were made possible by the meticulous investigative work of his officers when studying the CCTV in the days after the fixture.
He explained: “With so many people present and so much going on during a match it is not easy to identify the individuals carrying out the offence.
“But thanks to some great work by the officers present and by liaising closely with the Cyprus Sports Association, we were able to identify the fans responsible and bring them in for questioning, where they then admitted to the charges.”
Regarding the use of laser pens, he said: “It’s illegal, it’s cheating and it is potentially dangerous for the plαyers being targeted and we as a police force will simply not tolerate this type of behaviour inside our stadium.”
“We are also working hard to ensure that violence, threatening behaviour and the use of fireworks inside our stadium is eradicated and we will continue to liaise closely with the Cyprus football authorities and club officials to ensure that happens,” he added.
The two men are now expected to appear before the SBA Court in Dhekelia to find out their punishment.
Last year, three men were given stadium bans after being identified using CCTV and being found guilty of using explosives during Ethnikos Achnas’ home fixture against Othellos Athienou.
