A Nicosia Criminal Court has sentenced a karate coach to three years in prison after finding him guilty of sexually exploiting a minor, concluding a case that had sparked intense public debate in recent months.
The case became public in June 2025 through a Politis report revealing that the coach – despite facing serious criminal charges and awaiting trial – had participated in an event at a public primary school, teaching karate to pupils as part of a programme promoting “the values of sport”. Until his conviction in February and subsequent remand, he continued coaching as normal.
The disclosure prompted immediate public backlash and raised pressing questions about the adequacy of safeguards for individuals working with children, especially when serious criminal cases are pending against them.
Authorities claimed they were unaware of charges
After the revelations, officials said they had not known the coach was under criminal investigation, arguing that his presence at the school resulted from a last‑minute substitution. At the same time, the Cyprus Sports Organisation (KOA) admitted it had received an anonymous complaint about him as early as 2022. However, KOA maintained that because the matter was before the courts, it could not take definitive action, citing legal constraints.
Although the organisation had issued guidelines instructing sports federations to keep individuals facing serious charges away from minors, these safeguards were not enforced in practice. As a result, the coach continued to appear in sporting and school activities, fuelling concerns about weak coordination and ineffective oversight mechanisms.
Trial held behind closed doors
Given the nature of the offences and to protect the victim, the court heard the case behind closed doors. With the sentencing now complete, the judicial process has ended, though it leaves open broader issues of responsibility and procedural shortcomings in similar cases involving minors.