"The national identity of the teams has been destroyed"
"I feel that several reasons have been heard for which this thing should be avoided at all costs," said DISY MP Andreas Michailidis, who wrote the issue.
He went on to say that "we have destroyed the national identity of our teams and we are left with only the National Team, which is the National Team of all of us and we should preserve it as the apple of our eye and amend the Law on the Population Archive if necessary. to put restrictions on this phenomenon ".
The Football Federation, he said, "is also in a positive position regarding the preservation of the national identity of the Men's National Team and this satisfies us very much, as well as the position of the Cyprus Sports Organization that it has established criteria, which should be followed."
"We will monitor the issue closely and, if necessary, we will certainly return," he added.
Answering a relevant question, Mr. Michailidis stated that these are two foreign footballers who are playing in Cyprus at the moment, although reports referred to more, adding that it concerns the players Elio Pinto of APOEL and Vincent Laban of Anorthosis.
He clarified that "the registration and discussion of the subject has no role to play with these children whose names are mentioned, who are excellent footballers and characters.
"We are anxious for the future of the National Team and that is all we care about," he said.
For his part, the General Manager of KOA, Costas Papakostas, expressed his agreement that "the entity of our National Team should be preserved".
Despite the fact that, as he mentioned, the Organization is not asked about issues of cyberbullying by team sports, however, it is an issue that concerns the Organization and for this purpose it has organized two round table conferences.
However, Mr. Papakostas said that "it seems that the thing is not at all worrying, that is, there are not large numbers before the Ministry for Cypriots".
He also referred to the need to establish special sports criteria for the promotion of applications for Cypriotization before the competent Ministry.
"Of all the sports, either at the individual level or at the team level, football is the one with the least number of Cypriots", said in his own statements the Vice President of KOP Andreas Santis, adding that "it is not the goal of KOP to proceed with mass deprivation of any footballers ".
"Those footballers who have been Cypriotized so far meet the criteria and all applications are related to the individual right of anyone to apply for Cypriotization if and if they of course meet specific criteria," he said.
As KOP, Mr. Santis continued, we want to maintain the identity of our national team and we are not in favor of the mass ostracization of footballers, adding that "the orthodoxy of footballers is a phenomenon that has started some years ago".
Asked how many people he was talking about, he said that "as far as I know there are two people". At the same time, he stated that "I have the impression, without being an expert on the subject, that both of these people comply with the legislation for Cypriotization".
He also said that it does not mean that any foreign footballer is automatically invited to the national team. The selection of the National Team is a matter for each coach, he added ..
However, he admitted in response to a relevant question that "these footballers, if and as long as they meet the criteria of the Republic of Cyprus, whatever they are, for Cypriotism, yes, they are two footballers that the coach considers that both age and as individuals and as characters can help the National Team ".
"We are talking about two people, who I do not think are many who disagree that they could help Cypriot football and the national team," he added.
Mr. Santis continued noting that "our goal and purpose is to strengthen the Cypriot footballer and not to destroy him." It was reported that there are other serious problems concerning Cypriot footballers such as their military obligations.
The President of the Pancyprian Footballers' Association (PASP) Spyros Neofitidis expressed his satisfaction for the statements made during the session that there will be no exceptional Cypriotization.
He cited data according to an official survey, according to the University of Lausanne.
"Here we are, with the percentages that we have reached 72,3% employment of foreign and community footballers in our teams, with the oldest championship with an average age of 28,3 years, the last castle that is left for the Cypriot footballer is the national groups, "he said.
He also assured that "we will give everything to ensure these National Teams and to ensure the identity of the National Cyprus".
Mr. Neophytidis also referred to the military, saying that "there is no support for young international footballers". He called on the state to focus on this issue and the development of young talents in Cyprus as is done in other countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and Iceland.
In his own statements on the subject, the President of the Coaches Association Christakis Christoforou stated that "it was recognized that there is a serious problem with the participation of Cypriot footballers". At the same time, he expressed the position that the solution of the 'Cypriotization' of foreign footballers will not solve the problem but will take it beyond.
He also referred to the fact that foreign footballers who obtain citizenship and remain in Cyprus later engage in training.
Andreas Pierre / Truth.