Anorthosis is “fuming” over the refereeing in the first few matchdays!
The club’s press officer, Charalambos Parpetas, speaking to Cytavision, announced that the club’s management would file a complaint with the relevant authorities.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The Famagusta-based team expressed its dissatisfaction with VAR, which malfunctioned in at least two of its four matches. At the same time, the club is requesting that foreign referees be assigned to VAR for all of its matches, while also submitting a proposal for the use of referee body cameras, even stating that it is willing to cover the associated costs.
Meanwhile, Anorthosis has made representations to the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) regarding the live broadcasts on the giant screens at the “Antonis Papadopoulos” Stadium, with Parpetta making it clear that action is now expected.
In detail:
“We fully understand the disappointment and bitterness of our fans following a result like yesterday’s. The 3-0 loss is certainly very disappointing, but I believe it does not reflect the true picture of the match, especially given how it unfolded. In the first half, we were in control; we hit the crossbar and had other very good scoring chances. Unfortunately, we conceded a goal at a critical moment, and in the second half we weren’t able to respond the way we wanted to. This is something we need to analyze and correct as a team. We don’t want to hide behind excuses. Our second-half performance didn’t meet the standards the game demanded; we made mistakes and paid the price.
We are extremely frustrated with the refereeing in the early rounds, and the club’s management will appeal to the relevant authorities because the situation has become untenable. The refereeing has fallen short of the circumstances.
In at least two of the first four matches, we believe that the use of VAR decisively influenced the course and outcome of the games. While VAR was introduced to correct glaring errors, we observe that it intervenes in clearly disputed plays, while remaining passive in the face of clear and obvious errors. Our patience has run out, and from now on we are changing our stance.
In this specific play at the start of yesterday’s match, the Nea Salamina player’s arm is clearly outstretched and away from his body. The ball strikes the area around his elbow, halting its trajectory toward the Anorthosis forward, who was in a prime position to shoot on goal. It is truly baffling why VAR official Ioannis Christodoulou did not deem this a blatant error warranting a review by the referee.
As a first step, we demand that foreign referees be assigned to the VAR for all Anorthosis matches. We will not stand idly by while these recurring incidents raise serious questions about refereeing and the integrity of the league.
At the same time, we have urged the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) to reconsider the possibility of broadcasting live television coverage of the matches on the giant screens at “Freedom Antonis Papadopoulos,” as is done at stadiums and events abroad. We believe there is no reason why something that is practiced internationally should be considered impossible in Cyprus.
Additionally, we propose that, in all of our team’s matches, the referee wear a special body camera (Referee Body Camera), with the option to use the footage in television broadcasts, so that fans can watch moments of the game from the referee’s perspective, as is done in advanced leagues, and we make it clear that Anorthosis is willing to bear the entirethe costs associated with implementing this technology in its matches.
We believe that such initiatives can contribute significantly to the modernization of Cypriot soccer, the enhancement of the television broadcast, enhancing transparency, and improving the overall fan experience. We now expect action, not just assurances.”
