Security will be stepped up in Limassol on Thursday evening for the EuroLeague basketball game between Israeli sides Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv, with fans banned from bringing even lighters and coins into the venue.
Police spokesman Vyronas Vyronos said a multi-level security plan, based on risk assessments and the event’s requirements, had been completed for the game at the Spyros Kyprianou sports centre. The measures will cover the venue, the surrounding area and the access routes, and preventive action will be taken to stop any incident that could affect public safety, he said.
Asked about the safety of Israeli fans who had travelled to Cyprus for the game, he said the plan included policing various areas to prevent any incident.
Asked how many officers would be deployed, he said there would be enough to police the event, but declined to give details, saying these were operational matters.
Traffic will be managed, particularly as fans arrive, but “there will be no road closures that create problems in citizens’ daily lives”, he said.
Gates open at 7pm, and fans will be searched and pass through security arches. Vyronos urged fans to arrive early and bring a valid ticket and, where required, a fan card. Bags, motorcycle helmets and any prohibited or dangerous items are also banned.
The game, which starts at 9.05pm, is Maccabi’s first home game in Cyprus in the EuroLeague.
(Information from Cyprus News Agency)
