Following media reports regarding stadium licensing and the police report, the GSP issued an official statement. Specifically, the reports state that only the “AEK Arena” and the “Alphamega Stadium” have received licenses, the GSP is still… waiting, and four have been denied.

As they note, since its first day of operation, the stadium has been licensed every year without any issues, and this year’s license is valid through August 31, 2026.

Furthermore, they emphasize that the police report contains some recommendations for improvement projects at the stadium.

The announcement reads as follows: “The GSP Stadium, from its very first day of operation, has been licensed every year without any issues whatsoever. This year’s license from the Stadium Licensing Authority (SLA) is valid until August 31, 2026, in accordance with the established protocols and procedures. Despite the false impression created by certain media reports, the stadium’s licensing has never been called into question. Regarding the CCTV system, approval of the design we have already submitted to the AAS and the police is pending (this is why the permit was issued through August 31, 2026), and we are currently in the process of fully upgrading the system.

The police report contains recommendations for improving the infrastructure and does not include binding conditions that would jeopardize public safety. Regarding some of the Police’s recommendations, we would like to highlight the following examples:

• The proposal to create fixed entry corridors has been examined in the past and was deemed impractical, as it limits the flexibility of the security plan and increases the time required to evacuate the stadium.

• Raising the eastern grandstand’s perimeter wall by 1.5 meters is deemed unnecessary, given that this stand primarily accommodates families and children and no incidents of objects being thrown have been observed.

• The installation of netting behind the goals was tried in the past with negative results, as it led to fans climbing to dangerous heights, a practice that UEFA itself has identified as a safety hazard.

• An external fence around the stadium would be extremely costly—running into the millions of euros—and, rather than solving the problem, would simply shift the concentration of fans onto the highway.

• As for accessibility for people with disabilities, the GSP was the first sports venue in Cyprus to implement, maintain, and continuously upgrade comprehensive procedures for their safe accommodation. The relevant recommendations from the Police surprise us.

Several of the recommendations are practically impossible to implement due to serious operational, structural, or financial constraints.

Our Association’s complete and detailed position on all points of the report is included in our attached letter to the Assistant Chief of Police.”