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A probe by the sports ethics committee found that the president of the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) George Koumas has a conflict of interest as he owns several companies which trade football broadcasting rights.
According to the law, an individual cannot hold an official position in sports when they have vested business interests in the sport they are serving.
The allegations of conflict of interest surrounding Koumas emerged following a probe conducted by investigating officers Elias Stefanou and Efthymios Efthymiou. This information was disclosed by the sports ethics committee with an announcement today.
The statement reads, “The Committee of Ethics and Safeguarding in Sports announces that on September 26, 2023, during a meeting, it received a comprehensive report from investigating officers regarding a possible conflict of interest involving the president of the Cypriot Football Association. The investigating officers concluded that, based on testimony and evidence they gathered, there is indeed a conflict of interest, as stipulated by Law 180(I)/2017. The Committee of Ethics and Safeguarding in Sports will provide further details as permitted, following a thorough examination of the report.”
The report will now be forwarded to the Law Office of the Republic for review.
According to philenews, the investigation report is extensive. Among many pieces of evidence are invoices from four companies affiliated with George Koumas, which have been brought to public attention since 2018.
What was under scrutiny was Koumas’s dual role in Cypriot football and his simultaneous involvement as a businessman trading broadcasting rights for the sports. According to revelations dating back to 2018, Koumas was selling television products while holding a high-ranking position in the Cypriot Football Federation.
Moreover, he had dealings with the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CyTA) in a dual capacity. According to information, at least until 2018, he communicated with CyTA both as the Deputy President of CFA and as a businessman trading television rights.
Auditor General Odyseas Michaelides who first raised the issue in a June 2014 report without naming Koumas and his companies gave a detailed memorandum on this to Parliament in June 2023.
The memorandum records details of the multi-million-euro contracts that Kouma’s companies of interest had with CYTA over the years.
The police had previously investigated a possible conflict of interest involving Koumas and referred the case to the Law Office, which concluded that no criminal responsibilities arose. The case was considered closed in 2020.
Initially, Elias Stefanou and Efthymios Efthymiou were tasked with investigating issues related to refereeing and allegations of match-fixing. Subsequently, the sports ethics committee expanded their mandate to include matters related to television rights and the role of Koumas.
In the coming days, the investigating officers will also present their findings regarding refereeing matters.
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