Yiannos Poubouris, a member of the Stadium Licensing Committee, spoke on the “Alpha News” program about stadium safety and licensing, the implementation of the Fan Card, and the problems that continue to be reported at sports venues. Yiannos Poubouris, a member of the Stadium Licensing Committee, Michalis Herodotus, head of the Office for the Prevention and Response to Violence, and DISY MP and Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee, Fotini Tsiridou.
The discussion focused on the issue of stadium safety, as well as whether the necessary conditions for licensing and holding matches are being met.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
At the same time, the fact that matches continue to be held at stadiums that do not meet all the required conditions was brought up, while the effectiveness of the existing system also raises concerns.
The big question that arises is who licenses the stadiums, who conducts the inspections, and, most importantly, who bears ultimate responsibility for the safety of those inside them.
Key points from the discussion
Michalis Herodotus
Regarding the incident involving the 10-year-old girl who was injured: “The good news is that, as soon as the incident occurred, all of us at the Crisis Management Center reviewed the stadium’s security camera footage, identified the perpetrator, observed his movements from start to finish—exactly what he did—and a plan was devised so that, as he was leaving, we could apprehend him. This individual was arrested and is currently in custody. The case is under investigation and will be presented in court today.”
If the measures to separate the fans of the two teams are being implemented correctly: “Unfortunately, since 2014, when the steward system was first implemented, the rule has been that all first-division stadiums have a security manager. Among the security officer’s responsibilities, along with those of the stewards, is screening those entering the stadium. The police, for the most part, do not have the duty of searching spectators at stadiums, as they are primarily concerned with matters of a police nature and with enforcement measures. On the other hand, during high-risk matches, the police do participate to assist with searches, following a decision by the Chief of Police in charge of the match. However, I do not want to place the blame on the stewards, because the same incidents occurred even when the police were in charge of security.”
Regarding stadium licensing: “The two were licensed immediately: The “AEK Arena” and the “Alphamega Stadium.” The rest encountered some problems. Some undertook improvement projects. We focused mainly on the closed-circuit TV systems.”
Yiannos Poubouris
What the relevant legislation stipulates: “There are two certificates. One is issued by the Stadium Licensing Authority and pertains to the facilities, while the second is issued by the security officer, who certifies that these systems continue to function.”
Regarding security cameras—CCTV: “This was an issue raised by the police. Some systems had problems and made it difficult for the police to monitor the stadiums. In collaboration with the Cyprus Sports Organization, we hired a consultant, who established the minimum requirements for the stadiums. These requirements were communicated to the stadiums last year; they were asked to provide a timeline, inspect the stadiums’ infrastructure, and take the necessary steps to determine how long it would take them to comply. Last year passed without them complying, so this year the requirements became stricter. We saw that some certificates were issued by August 31. Finally, after certain actions were taken, many stadiums achieved a satisfactory level of compliance, while others were given a timeline within which they are expected to take the necessary actions during the course of the year.”
Regarding whether the stadiums that do not have operating permits are in compliance: “For them to be operating means that there is a satisfactory system in place, though this does not mean we have reached the minimum standards that were set. A specific timeline has been set, to which the stadiums have committed.”
Regarding the state-of-the-art systems: “There are some issues. We’ll know more by the end of October, when we’ll have the full report from the stadiums.”
Fotini Tsiridou
On violence and stadium security: “There is a bill that had been submitted to the House of Representatives, with its last session held in October 2025. The committee chair at the time adjourned the session on the grounds that if all these disagreements among the parties involved could not be resolved in the plenary session, the bill could not move forward. “We, as the House of Representatives, were waiting for all the relevant bodies to be ready to inform the House that this could move forward.”
Regarding the disagreements and who was disagreeing: “This bill that had been submitted included provisions concerning stricter controls on alcohol and drugs, as well as whether these would take place in designated areas within the stadiums. This had “sparked” a lot of backlash. There was also a requirement to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in more sports venues, so that we could record incidents and identify and prosecute individuals who commit acts of violence. All of this had sparked fierce disagreements. Not only among the stakeholders involved, but also among lawmakers from all parties, because no bill was introduced that all stakeholders could agree on, so that it could be implemented.”
Regarding the fan card: “We’ve seen that so many years have passed, and even today it still cannot be implemented in the best possible way, precisely because you need much better technology to be able to record the events. Steps have certainly been taken, but not the ones we want. Therefore, the last session was adjourned.”
Regarding the last session: “The last session concluded with the instruction to submit a letter to the House of Representatives confirming that the necessary consultations with all relevant stakeholders had taken place.”
On the social phenomenon of violence: “This is not something we will see resolved only in Cyprus. It is not a ‘disease’ that has afflicted only our own country. We have many examples of strict measures being taken in various countries.”
