The Law Office of the Republic has confirmed that a criminal investigation into football broadcasting rights and an alleged conflict of interest involving former Cyprus Football Association president Giorgos Koumas is approaching its conclusion.
An official told Phileleftheros on Monday that the case assessment is in its final stages, nearly eight months after independent investigator Alexandra Lykourgou submitted her report.
“This is a complex case concerning a serious matter, and as such it is being handled accordingly by Law Office officials,” the source said. “The evaluation is at the final stage. Due to the nature of the case, once there is a conclusion, the public will be informed through an official statement.”
The confirmation follows a weekend interview in which Lykourgou, a former senior district court judge, publicly defended her 20-month investigation and stated that evidence justified filing criminal charges.
“I have investigated the case with the help of four excellent police officers. I have identified the offences, I have identified the individuals,” Lykourgou told OMEGA television on Monday.
“If there are different legal analyses regarding the constituent elements of the specific offences or the sufficiency of the evidence, this is something the Law Office should answer.”
Lykourgou said she felt compelled to speak out after reports suggested her investigation was incomplete or contained gaps—claims she categorically rejected.
The allegations
The investigation centres on whether Koumas maintained a conflict of interest whilst serving as a CFA official by selling broadcasting rights through offshore companies.
Between 2014 and 2018, Koumas sold rights for foreign football leagues to CytaVision through four companies registered in the British Virgin Islands and Seychelles. He also sold rights to Cyprus national team and APOEL matches to the broadcaster during his time at the federation.
The Ethics and Sports Protection Committee, which initially examined the matter, identified what it termed a “triple conflict of interest” in its October 2023 report. That report became the foundation for the criminal investigation.
The probe examined whether Koumas distributed CFA TV revenues to clubs arbitrarily in ways that could have manipulated league competition, whether the CFA’s contract with CytaVision improperly allowed the federation to appoint match commentators, and whether production company ABC BC Broadcasting Corporation Ltd was linked to Koumas.
Investigation timeline
The Attorney General appointed Lykourgou as independent criminal investigator on 3rd November 2023. She submitted an interim report on 16th December 2024 and delivered her final report with 20 boxes of evidence on 12th May 2025.
Following guidance from the Law Office, investigative statements were taken from Koumas on 1st July and from at least two other CFA administrative officials. The investigation was formally completed on 18th July 2025.
Information obtained by Phileleftheros indicates that numerous meetings—approaching double digits—took place between investigators and Law Office leadership during the inquiry, with a substantial number of lawyers participating. This level of coordination suggests decisions should follow promptly once the assessment concludes.
The matter has been under scrutiny since 2014, when it first appeared in an Audit Office report. Phileleftheros revealed the dual role Koumas held in September 2018, publishing documents showing the offshore companies and transactions worth millions with CytaVision.
Defence responds
Christos Triantafyllidis, representing Koumas alongside colleague Orfanidis, criticised Lykourgou’s public statements on Monday.
“Ms Lykourgou had been an excellent judge until she resigned for her own reasons. Unfortunately, she does not have the right now to judge,” Triantafyllidis told OMEGA. “What she is doing now by talking about protests and conclusions is as if she went back to the bench to judge.”
He said that if the Attorney General’s Office proceeds with charges, the defence would respond through proper legal channels in court. “I dare say we thank Ms Lykourgou because she has made the defence much easier for legal reasons,” he added.
Triantafyllidis indicated he would send a letter to the Attorney General, presumably raising concerns about potential interference with his client’s rights.
Oversight questions
Lykourgou’s statements also revived debate about CFA oversight—an issue the Ethics and Sports Protection Committee had previously flagged.
CFA press officer Konstantinos Siampoullis rejected suggestions of inadequate financial controls, telling Phileleftheros that the federation’s accounts are audited by an independent firm.
Cyprus Sports Organisation president Gionnis Ioannou said on Monday that the CSO monitors CFA’s financial statements.
The case has seen multiple investigations since 2014, including a police inquiry completed in 2020 and a committee investigation that never advanced substantially before the current criminal probe began.
