A meeting with the presidents and representatives of the First Division teams took place on Tuesday evening in Nicosia.
The meeting was chaired by CFF President Haris Loizidis and attended by members of the Executive Committee and General Director Andreas Moria.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Also present were Antonio Damato, president of the Referees’ Committee; the president of the Judicial Committee, Giannis Antoniadis, and committee member Katerina Georgiou, as well as Disciplinary Prosecutors Stelios Nikolaou, Kyriakos Choiaras, and Giorgos Petros.
It was a constructive meeting during which all current issues in Cypriot soccer were discussed.
“Our cooperation with the teams is a given. We want you to try to put aside any form of mistrust. We are here for all the teams,” Mr. Loizidis said in his welcoming remarks to the team presidents.
Refereeing Section
Antonio Damato, chairman of the Referees’ Committee, explained to those present his philosophy and how the Referees’ Committee operates.
He spoke at length about the efforts being made to advance Cypriot refereeing, the development and training programs currently run by the Cyprus Football Association (CFA), as well as the efforts to support and develop young referees.
He emphasized that at the end of last season, seven referees were promoted from Division C to Division B, and five referees from Division B to Division A.
Mr. Damato also mentioned the presence of our Cypriot international referees and observers abroad, where they have made a notable impact.
“Compared to last year, I’ve noticed progress in terms of the referees’ confidence and conduct. Of course, mistakes happen. The conditions are difficult and the pressure is high. Our job isn’t easy. If referees are constantly under attack from the teams and the media, it doesn’t help the situation,” Mr. Damato said, among other things.
A VAR setup was installed at the meeting venue, which was used to explain how the system works, as well as how the lines are drawn in offside situations. Along with Mr. Damato, our referee Andreas Tehrany was also present at the presentation.
Judicial Committee
The Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Giannis Antoniadis, explained the philosophy and operating procedures of the Federation’s disciplinary bodies.
“We are partners. We all love soccer. We are not here to punish you. What you need to keep in mind is that we follow the disciplinary regulations. If any changes need to be made to the regulations, that is something we will discuss with you,” Mr. Antoniadis said, among other things.
