An investigation by Cyprus police is presently underway following sexual harassment allegations made by a female footballer. The athlete, who formally reported the incident, has received immediate support from the Cyprus footballers’ association (Pasp), which swiftly activated its action protocol to address the matter and ensure the athlete’s safety and well-being.

Speaking on Cyprus Mail, Pasp executive President and FifPro Vice-President, Spyros Neofytides, outlined the association’s five-step action protocol, describing it as “Support, affirm, find, encourage, reach out.” 

He explained, “This framework ensures that the athlete is provided with immediate legal and psychological support, while also offering encouragement and backing for her decision to file a formal complaint.”

He continued, “The first step was to inform our legal team, who took over the case immediately. We also reached out to specialists to provide psychological support. The legal team then communicated with the Cyprus sports organisation (Koa) and the Cyprus football association (CFA), inquiring whether they have established procedures to support athletes who report sexual harassment.”

However, Neofytides raised concerns over the response from the CFA, stating, “The CFA’s admission that they have no specific procedures for handling sexual harassment is troubling. This is a clear gap in their approach, and it is something that needs to be addressed urgently.”

He called on Koa to ensure that all federations are equipped with clear and effective procedures, adding, “Koa must take responsibility and ensure federations are properly trained and have clear guidelines for handling such serious incidents.”

Neofytides further criticised Kop for not adopting Fifa’s code of ethics, which, he said, could have led to the creation of an ethics committee. 

“Without such a committee, there are no procedures to remove an accused individual from training or team activities while an investigation takes place. This leaves athletes vulnerable, and that is unacceptable.”

He continued, “All federations must adopt a code of ethics that addresses sexual harassment and other forms of abuse, ensuring athletes have a clear path to report incidents safely and confidentially.”

The debate over the handling of this case has sparked wider discussions on the need for stronger oversight in sport. Neofytides argued that “Koa must play a more active role in ensuring that all sports bodies in Cyprus have adopted the necessary codes of conduct to handle sexual harassment and abuse effectively.”

He concluded, “This case is a stark reminder that the current systems in place may not be sufficient to protect athletes, particularly women, from such incidents. The conversation around safeguarding in sport needs to be taken more seriously, and reforms must be implemented to ensure that athletes are properly protected.”

As the investigation continues, the questions about whether Cyprus’ sporting organisations are doing enough to safeguard athletes are likely to intensify, with calls for reform becoming increasingly urgent.