AEL responds to APOEL’s statement, emphasizing that it chooses to focus on the actual facts rather than on creating a certain impression. As the club states, the core issue of the case concerns the illegal interference in the VAR process and the provision of instructions by individuals who, according to the club, should not have been involved, noting that this has also been confirmed by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA).
The Limassol team maintains that the Nicosia team is shifting the discussion away from the operation of the VAR and onto Kafou, whom AEL states it will defend as one of its players. At the same time, it is demanding answers as to who intervened, who gave the instructions, through what process, and why the protocols were ignored, emphasizing that the operation of VAR concerns Cypriot soccer as a whole.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
In conclusion, AEL calls on APOEL to stop “playing to the gallery” and to focus on investigating the matter. As the statement notably points out, the question that remains is: “Who intervened in the VAR, in what capacity, and for whose benefit?”
The statement in full:
“In response to APOEL’s statements, AEL will once again limit itself to the actual facts rather than creating a media spectacle.
All these days, AEL has referred exclusively to its team, its player, and a very specific issue concerning the illegal interference in the VAR process and the provision of instructions by individuals who, according to the protocols, should not have intervened. And this is no longer merely AEL’s position or assessment. It is something that has been confirmed by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) itself.
So instead of APOEL showing the same interest in the substantive issue of the case—which concerns external interference with the VAR— as well as in investigating every possibility regarding potential match-fixing, but instead chooses to focus on the AEL player and attempts to turn a case that primarily concerns the operation of the VAR system and compliance with regulations into a discussion focused exclusively on Kafou, who, at the end of the day, is an AEL player, and it is AEL that has every reason to defend his rights and interests! Apparently, for some people, it’s much easier to pin the blame on the AEL player than to demand answers about who intervened, who gave the instructions, through what process, and why the protocols were ignored.
AEL will not follow this approach. We will not allow a serious institutional issue to be turned into a personal debate about a single player. Kafou is an AEL player, and AEL will defend his rights as it is obligated to do. However, the operation of VAR concerns Cypriot soccer as a whole.
Therefore, we call on APOEL to stop playing to the gallery with statements regarding a player from another team who was unjustly and unlawfully penalized, and to seriously address the illegal interference in the VAR process and the overall effort initiated by all relevant authorities to fully clarify the matter.
The question remains simple and specific: Who interfered with the VAR, in what capacity, and for whose benefit?”
