Cyprus' National Betting and Sports Ethics Committee is assessing two investigation reports linked to suspicious betting activity in Second Division football matches from the 2025/26 season, while findings relating to a third match are expected in the coming days.
The developments come as authorities continue to investigate allegations of match manipulation, with no criminal conviction for football match-fixing having been secured in Cyprus despite dozens of investigations over the past decade.
Three reports under review
The committee is currently evaluating two reports concerning suspected betting activity in Second Division matches from the 2025/26 season. According to information obtained by Politis, a third report linked to another fixture from the same campaign is expected to be completed in the coming days.
At the same time, the committee recently appointed three investigating officers to monitor and examine three cup matches involving First and Second Division clubs during the 2026/27 season, following information suggesting possible attempts to manipulate the fixtures.
The matches identified by the committee are:
- Spartakos Kitiou vs Krasava ENY Ypsonas, played last Wednesday.
- Karmiotissa Polemidion vs Ermis Aradippou, scheduled for 3 November 2026.
- Doxa Katokopias vs Olympiakos Nicosia, scheduled for 4 November 2026.
The reports prompted strong reactions from the clubs involved, all of which rejected the committee's concerns.
Monitoring measures in place
In a statement issued on Monday, the committee said that, following an assessment of available information, it had decided to maintain close monitoring of the matches in cooperation with the relevant authorities.
According to the committee, the aim is to allow immediate evaluation of developments and ensure that all necessary measures and decisions can be taken to prevent manipulation and protect athletes and other participants.
Once investigations are completed, the findings will be submitted to the committee, which will decide whether they should be forwarded to the Attorney General for further action.
No convictions despite nearly 100 cases
Despite the number of investigations conducted over the years, no criminal conviction has been secured in Cyprus for the manipulation of a football match.
According to figures submitted by the Cyprus Police to Parliament's Institutions Committee in June 2023, almost 100 case files involving suspicious First and Second Division football matches were referred between 2011 and 2023.
Authorities considered many of the cases to contain serious indications of betting-related manipulation. However, investigations were unable to reach the evidentiary threshold required for prosecution because sufficient witness testimony could not be obtained.
According to the information presented, sports officials believed to possess relevant information have frequently declined to provide statements to police. Similar difficulties have arisen with referees and footballers.
In addition, mutual legal assistance requests sent through the Ministry of Justice to Asian countries where betting activity on the relevant matches is believed to have taken place have remained unresolved for years.
As a result, neither the police nor the Legal Service of the Republic has succeeded in securing a criminal conviction for match-fixing despite repeated investigations and documented suspicions.
Telephone surveillance powers remain unused
In February 2020, Parliament approved legislation allowing the monitoring of telephone communications under specific conditions for the investigation of serious criminal offences, including the manipulation of sporting events.
The purpose was to enable evidence obtained through lawful surveillance to be used in court while maintaining safeguards against abuse by law enforcement authorities.
Under the intended procedure, where the Sports Ethics Committee identified reasonable indications of manipulation during an investigation, it would notify the police, who could then pursue further investigative measures, including surveillance where legal requirements were satisfied.
In practice, however, the measure remains unused.
The Ministry of Justice and the Legal Service are seeking amendments aimed at strengthening relevant legislative provisions, leaving the issue unresolved. The lack of implementation has become particularly significant given the ongoing difficulties in securing witness testimony in match-fixing investigations.
The only case to reach court
The only alleged football match-fixing case to proceed to court involved former Ayia Napa FC president Dimitris Masias and referee Andreas Constantinou.
The pair faced allegations linked to an attempted manipulation of the Othellos Athienou vs Ayia Napa match played in February 2020.
The prosecution's key witness was Vasilis Kafataris, president of Othellos Athienou. However, he ultimately declined to testify in court and, in the absence of evidence, the case was withdrawn.
In his complaint to police, Kafataris alleged that Masias offered him €10,000 to allow Ayia Napa to win the match. He also claimed that Masias suggested he would influence the referee if no agreement was reached and had approached an Othellos player, whom he managed, for assistance.
When called to testify under oath, however, Kafataris said he did not wish to proceed and declined to recognise the written statement he had previously given to police.
Cooperation with Sportradar
On the prevention front, the Sports Ethics Committee recently renewed its cooperation agreement with Sportradar AG, the Swiss-based multinational sports data and integrity company.
The agreement aims to strengthen efforts to detect and combat the manipulation of sporting events through continued data analysis and monitoring of betting patterns.
Anonymous reporting platform
Another tool available to the public is the committee's anonymous reporting platform, launched in May.
The system allows individuals to report suspected corruption in sport without revealing their identity.
According to information provided by the committee, the platform does not collect IP addresses, cookies or other technical identifiers. Submitted information is stored in encrypted form within an isolated environment accessible only to authorised committee members.
