A high-level meeting between the Law Office, criminal investigator, and police officials will take place in early April to review findings from a 15-month investigation into Cyprus Football Association (CFA) President George Koumas, sources close to the matter have confirmed.
According to reliable sources, preliminary discussions were held yesterday between the Law Office leadership, the Chief of Police, and a team of investigators from the Police Headquarters Criminal Investigation Department, where several serious cases under investigation were examined, including the Koumas case.
The investigation, which has examined multiple aspects of Koumas’s activities, is reportedly in its final stage. The upcoming April meeting will evaluate evidence gathered during the extensive inquiry and determine potential legal actions based on the findings.
The case stems from a report prepared by investigating officers Elias Stefanou and Efthymios Th. Efthymiou at the request of the Committee on Ethics and Safeguarding in Sport, delivered in September 2023. This report allegedly identified possible offences by CFA officials and potentially other individuals, including conflicts of interest and incompatibility of roles.
On November 3, 2023, Attorney General George Savvides, after reviewing the Committee’s report, instructed then-Police Chief Stelios Papatheodorou to conduct a criminal investigation regarding potential conflicts of interest involving a CFA official.
The Attorney General forwarded the report and evidence to the Police Chief with instructions to investigate “the possibility of criminal offences by CFA officials or any other person”.
The Attorney General also appointed former senior district judge Alexandra Lykourgou as an independent criminal investigator to assist the police investigation.
The investigation has primarily focused on Koumas and CFA officials, examining their roles and activities. A key element of the inquiry concerns Koumas’s dual position in Cypriot football administration while simultaneously operating as a businessman trading broadcasting rights, potentially creating a significant conflict of interest.
According to earlier revelations dating back to 2018, Koumas was allegedly selling television products while holding a senior position in the CFA.
Sources indicate that at least until 2018, he communicated with the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CyTA) in two capacities – as both CFA Deputy President and as a businessman trading television rights.
Additional allegations being examined include claims that Koumas leveraged his CFA position to benefit certain football clubs through manipulation of television rights distributions.
He is also under scrutiny for reportedly granting a €200,000 bonus to a club without clear justification, coinciding with matches that drew suspicious betting activity.
The Committee’s investigation reportedly examined match-fixing allegations as well, including claims of influence over referee appointments and match outcomes.
During the initial investigation by the Committee on Ethics and Safeguarding in Sport, a public dispute erupted between Koumas’s attorneys, Christos Triantafyllides and Marios Orfanides, and the investigating body regarding the investigation methods. However, sources indicate the criminal investigation has proceeded without procedural challenges.
