“AEL FC LTD, in light of media reports and information that have come to light in recent days regarding letters sent by AEL to the Cyprus Football Association (KOP), wishes to responsibly inform our team’s fans and the broader sports-loving public about the actions we have taken.
AEL has filed an official complaint with the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) regarding specific information that has come to its attention concerning the VAR review of the play that led to the ejection ofCarlos Miguel Ribeiro Dias (Cafu) in the APOEL–AEL match on September 6, 2026. We wish to make it absolutely clear that our complaint does not concern a mere disagreement with a refereeing decision. It concerns the need to investigate whether the VAR procedure was implemented in a completely independent manner and in accordance with the established protocols, without any external interference or influence.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
On September 14, 2026, AEL filed an official complaint with the Cyprus Football Association (CFA), requesting a full investigation, the preservation of all relevant records and data, and access to the relevant material. On September 15, 2026, the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) informed us that the complaint had been referred to the appropriate bodies for investigation. On the same day, AEL requested specific clarifications regarding the investigation process and the preservation of all relevant material, to which we received no response.
Today, September 17, 2026, the CFF Judicial Committee announced the penalty for our player, imposing a six-match suspension and a fine. AEL strongly disagrees with this decision, as the available audiovisual footage from the match serves as irrefutable evidence of what actually occurred. AEL respects the institution and the process, though this does not mean that it accepts a decision with which it disagrees, nor does it waive its right to defend its player to the very end.
As for the one-match ban on fan travel imposed on our team, we respect the fact that the Judicial Committee applied the provisions of the Disciplinary Regulations for this specific charge.
However, in the same match, regarding the charge of APOEL fans throwing dangerous objects (firecrackers) onto the field and inside the stadium, the Cyprus Football Association (KOP) imposed a fine instead of the prescribed penalty of a one-match closed-door game! Who will give us an answer for this? Why wasn’t the prescribed penalty imposed? Are the regulations actually binding, or are they applied however it suits certain people?
Why does the Judicial Committee, as if by magic, forget the regulations when it comes to others? Where do we even begin? The cup final? Where certain “well-known strangers” changed the charges overnight from a punch to a scuffle so as not to suffer financial losses on the contracts of their players, who wouldto sit in the stands for six months, as stipulated by the Disciplinary Regulations? Where were the mass brawls involving players, officials, and fans—as recorded in the Match Report and the observer’s reports—documented? Flares and firecrackers? Objects being thrown and matches being interrupted? And yet the penalties are limited to mere fines? Is this what the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) defines as justice and equality under the law?
It is now clear that this year’s championship has already begun on a flawed note, with the blessing of the organizing authority itself, and especially its President, Haris Loizidis, who is evidently unable to protect the championship itself and its credibility by remaining a mere spectator in the face of this situation. Tolerance for the selective enforcement of regulations cannot be the norm in Cypriot soccer. And AEL will see this through to the end to ensure that justice is served.
Finally, AEL calls on its supporters to stand united and rally around the team, since, under the current circumstances, protecting AEL is the responsibility of us all. We urge every AEL fan to realize that any behavior that could lead to new penalties and further burden our team works against our own interests. Especially from now on, exemplary behavior is required of everyone, both inside the stadiums and in the surrounding areas, as well as within the designated radius of the matches. It is clear that attempts will be made to find pretexts for imposing new penalties on AEL, and we will not allow anyone to create such pretexts. AEL needs unity, solidarity, composure, and determination right now. Together, we must protect our team, support it, and keep it strong and standing until the very end.
