‘Cyprus thinks massage is sex!’

With the World Massage Council Championships coming to Cyprus this November, it’s high time the island understood what this ancient profession is – and isn’t – discovers ALIX NORMAN

Type ‘massage Cyprus’ into Google, and you’re bombarded with words such as ‘erotic’, ‘sensual’, and ‘adult services’. No site goes quite so far as to use the word ‘sex’, but it’s strongly implied; the results suggest that if you’re looking for paid relief, then hey, you’ve found it! Even authentic-looking pages (‘Find professional massage in Limassol or Nicosia’) often open onto photos of ladies leaving little to the imagination…

“Many people in Cyprus think massage is sex,” says Yasser Roushdy, whose field is all too often mistaken for the world’s oldest profession. “Not only is massage frequently used as a euphemism, but the job itself is not always respected; it’s looked upon as a hobby rather than a professional vocation.”

As the only Cypriot on the World Massage Council, 50-year-old Yasser has been trying to put the record straight for decades. And he rightly believes it’s time that everyone on the island understood not just how seriously professional massage therapists take their jobs, but also its medical benefits.

To this end, Yasser will be hosting a Cyprus-based World Massage Championship come autumn – an event that’s the first of its kind on the island. “Yes, there have been other massage competitions here before,” he explains. “But this is the first event in Cyprus that’s supported by the World Massage Council.”

Similar to other championships held in Italy and Switzerland, the local iteration will see professional massage therapists from all over the island come together in one place, there to test their skills in front of expert judges. Four main categories will be on show, with exponents able to participate in either Freestyle, Asian, Relaxing, or Face.

“Each of these categories involves a myriad of options,” Yasser reveals. “For instance, Freestyle can include deep tissue, sports or therapeutic massage, while Asian might incorporate Thai or Ayurvedic massage. We’re conveying the message that all these disciplines require skill, talent and experience – that massage therapy, no matter its type, is the result of years of study, practice and ongoing learning.

Putting the spurious misconceptions to rest is a large part of the upcoming championship. But there’s more than one fallacy at work here, says Yasser.

“All too often, the local hotels see massage as a money-making scheme; the perfect industry to make a considerable profit. You, the client, may be paying hundreds of euros for a massage. Meanwhile, the therapist, who often has to work eight hours or more each day, is paid a fraction of that. But it’s their skills, their physical work – and massage done properly can be very physically exhausting – that are being exploited. And it’s time that our hotels recognised that quality – both in terms of the massage itself, and the massage therapist – over quantity is the key to giving clients a good experience.”

For thousands of years, massage has been used as a treatment, a benefit to everything from the lymphatic system to immune function. “It’s right there in the name,” says Yasser. “Therapy. Like hydrotherapy, speech or art therapy, this is a healing discipline.”

First recorded in 3000 BC in India, massage was originally used to repair injury, relieve pain and both prevent and cure illness. By 2700 BC, massage had reached the Far East (where it blended with Buddhist and Taoist principles suggesting disease is caused by an energy imbalance). And by 2500 BC, massage therapy was being utilised and improved by the ancient Egyptians, who discovered specific bodily pressure points – which, today, we call myofascial release points – that could relieve physical aches and pains.

In the championship, judges will be looking to see who knows these points, along with a detailed knowledge of anatomy. And Yasser, who has travelled the world as a professional judge, understands exactly what goes into a good massage…

“Each of the judges has more than 20 years of experience in the field, so they’ll be quick to notice every detail,” he says. “They’ll walk around the venue checking everything from the appearance of the therapists to the equipment they use, the care each shows for their model, and the techniques they employ.

“As a professional, every facet of the client experience should be top-notch,” he adds. “So our winners will be those who not only interact well with their model – asking about pressure, comfort and temperature, for example – but also those who display an excellent, science-backed technique. You will often see a movement that looks really good, very effective,” he warns. “But a professional judge will know when that fancy move is anatomically incorrect, or even detrimental.”

While Yasser hopes this Cyprus Massage Championship will widen public understanding, he’s also looking forward to the community benefits of the event.

“As a professional massage therapist, you tend to live a very solitary existence!” he reveals. “Often, you’re stuck in a windowless room for hours, interacting only with one person at a time. You get to know your clients,” he adds, “but not your colleagues. We’re hoping to change that by bringing therapists from all over the island together at one time in one place, creating connections and sharing their valuable knowledge.

“At the same time,” he adds, “it will also be a worthwhile event for spa and hotel managers, who will be assured of choosing good quality therapists who have topped their categories. And there may even be a few young people who are looking for a rewarding career path – those of us who have been in the business for years would love to share our knowledge with the younger generations.

“But ultimately,” he concludes, “we want to help the public understand the professionality of this career. Just like lawyers and bankers and accountants, we work very hard at being the best we can be. And, at the end of the day, we’re also bringing relaxation, good health and healing into this world. Isn’t that something we could use a bit more of in Cyprus?”

The event will be held on November 5 at the St Raphael, Limassol. For more information on the Massage Championship, visit https://www.worldmassagecouncil.com/cyprus-massage-championship/