Sports ethics committee says no-one ever interfered in its operations

The sports ethics committee on Wednesday insisted that no state or other official has ever interfered in its work until today, dismissing claims of its former chairman Andreas Papacharalambous that implicated former President Nicos Anastasiades in match fixing.

The press release was published after the latest committee session on Tuesday, amidst an ongoing spat between Papachralambous and the former president.

Papacharalambous maintains that while he was in office, Anastasiades called him and asked him not to look into allegations of match fixing regarding a friendly football match between Apollon and Karmiotissa. These claims were immediately rubbished by Anastasiades.

In its statement, the sports ethics committee stressed that it operates with a completely different composition from the one Papacharalambous chaired, and does not include any member that served under him.

“With the shadows that have been created in relation to the impartiality and orderly functioning of the institution, the committee considers it imperative to intervene to make it clear that there has been no interference in its work by any state official or other person, until today,” the statement said.

“The committee carries out its duties impartially within the framework of the legislation that governs it,” it finally said.