Police in Larnaca arrested 17 people on Wednesday after fans of Anorthosis Famagusta invaded the club’s offices in an attempt to wrestle away power from the board and its chairman.
The supporters group of the club, PANSYFI, issued a written announcement yesterday saying that the seizure of the administrative office within the club’s Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium was made in order to oust the board and staff members.
The fans are unhappy over ongoing discussions over the club’s future and its current financial predicament which sees them owing just over €12 million to the taxman and in unpaid salaries.
Anorthosis, who are also struggling on the pitch with the team losing out on the weekend 4-0 to relegation battlers Enosis Neon Paralimni, could face expulsion from European competition if they do not get their books in order ahead of next month’s audit inspection by UEFA (Europe’s governing body for football).
Club chairman Christos Poullaides has for the last few months been pushing his idea of creating a company to take over the football department, something that has not gone down well with the fans and which is likely to be ruled against at the club’s upcoming general assembly.
Yesterday, angry fans stormed the offices in an attempt to annex the club from Poullaides and the board who they feel have failed to turn things around.
Yesterday, angry fans stormed the offices in an attempt to annex the club from Poullaides and the board who they feel have failed to turn things around.
They then hung a banner outside the office’s main entrance reading ‘Fighters [nickname of the Anorthosis ultra supporters] seizure!’
An announcement by the group was sent out at around midday reading, “The offices of our club have been seized by members of PANSYFI. We had called, on countless occasions, for cleansing and unity of our club but we were not heard. Unfortunately, we have reached another deadlock and so we were forced to take action.”
An announcement by the group was sent out at around midday reading, “The offices of our club have been seized by members of PANSYFI. We had called, on countless occasions, for cleansing and unity of our club but we were not heard. Unfortunately, we have reached another deadlock and so we were forced to take action.”
The group went on to demand the resignation of the board, club staff members and the Anorthosis representative at the CFA [Cyprus Football Association] Andreas Santis.
They also called for the cancellation of the upcoming club general meeting scheduled for February 20 and to be replaced with a club general election.
“We call on all those supporting our demands to come and join us. We are willing to discuss anything with anyone from the current board. We are willing to listen to the suggestions of loyal supporters who want to save our club and not those who have brought us to where we are now.
“The time for compromise has passed. Anorthosis will not stand for you any longer. Get out now! Whatever plans exist for the creation of a company will fail. Whoever is on the board of the club, get out now!”
Police later managed to move them out and place 17 people under arrest without incident. The club condemned some fans of violent behaviour and destruction of property.
Anorthosis, who had made history by becoming the first Cypriot club to qualify for the lucrative group stage of the Champions League back in 2008, have been on a downward trajectory ever since internal problems forced the exit of former chairman Andreas Pantelis and popular coach Temuri Ketsbaia back in 2009.
