Justice minister pushes for new bills to tackle football violence
Recent incidents following the football match between Apoel and Anorthosis prompted a response from Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis, who called for the expedited legal review of two bills aimed at combating violence in stadiums.
“Our actions are focused on two main areas regarding stadium violence,” Hartsiotis told Phienews on Wednesday. He explained that despite the serious security challenges posed by the ongoing situation in the Middle East, “the police will continue to oversee football matches to maintain order and safety”.
The minister also confirmed that the legal review of the two bills concerning fan violence is proceeding swiftly. He added that the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) is handling disciplinary matters related to teams whose supporters cause disturbances.
The two bills are expected to be approved in the coming weeks and sent to parliament for discussion and voting.
One bill concerns the operation of fan clubs, which will now come under the purview of the respective sports clubs, allowing them to use their colours, emblems, and symbols. These clubs will be held accountable for any illegal actions committed by their members.
For clubs that prefer not to have organised supporters through a fan club, they may opt out. However, fan clubs cannot be established under a club’s emblem if the club itself does not wish to have such a fan club.
The second bill amends the law on violence in sports venues to allow for alcohol and drug tests to be conducted outside stadiums. The government’s goal is to enable selective checks for substance use among fans intending to enter sports venues.
Additionally, the bill will allow a ministerial team, in exceptional cases, to decide whether a match should proceed or be interrupted if the relevant federation does not postpone it for purely safety reasons. This decision will be made by the ministers of justice and education, following recommendations from the police.
Regarding the recent incidents, Hartsiotis added that if the CFA had prohibited the movement of Anorthosis fans, “the disturbances would not have occurred”.
“However, that falls within the powers of the CFA,” he concluded.
Later on Wednesday, police chief Themistos Arnaoutis said that recently fans “seem to be preferring to avoid causing issues inside stadiums, instead shifting their actions outside”.
“However, the police are not afraid to monitor a match,” Arnaouti said, referring to the upcoming Apollon-Apoel match scheduled for Saturday, as fans of the two teams have often been responsible for public order issues.
His comments came after a meeting at the justice ministry attended by Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis and Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou, addressing football violence, as well as the recent rise in attacks on food delivery workers.
When asked about the security measures taken by the police during the Apoel-Anorthosis football match, Arnaoutis said that the main focus had been on ensuring security within the stadium, though additional measures were implemented outside as well.
“We are conducting investigations to determine what happened, and we will take appropriate action,” he said.
In response to questions about rumours suggesting that decisions made before the match may not have been implemented, Arnaoutis declined to comment, adding that “when the time comes, we will address these matters.”
Referring to the upcoming Apollon-Apoel match, the police chief said the Limassol police directorate had made specific recommendations on how to monitor the fans’ movements.