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| Nigerian national Francis Uzoho |
Instead of issuing its decision over a dispute regarding the eligibility of Francis Uzoho as was expected, on Friday the Cyprus football association (CFA) called a new hearing on the matter amid claims of a cover-up and political meddling in the affair.
The CFA had announced on Thursday that it would be issuing its decision on Friday, over a dispute between Limassol side Apollonas and Anorthosis Famagusta.
That was after both sides presented their arguments in the case of Nigerian goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, who Apollonas claimed had participated in a game between the two teams without being eligible.
Instead, the CFA issued a statement saying its judge, Aristotelis Vryonides, had decided to convene a new hearing at 1.30 pm in light of new evidence that was brought to his attention.
Following the hearing, the CFA said it has asked KOA to inform it about the exact date of the cancellation by Monday, after which it will announce its decision.
The decision was made after the sports organisation, KOA, sent a letter — which was part of the evidence — to the CFA, after Thursday’s hearing.
The issue emerged after Apollonas disputed Uzoho’s participation in a game against Anorthosis on Saturday, February 2, which the Limassol side lost 1-0.
Uzoho was acquired on the last day of the January transfer period and Apollonas said he had only arrived in Cyprus on Friday afternoon, shortly before 4pm, and questioned how he could have had his health card issued about an hour after KOA’s offices closed on Friday at 2.30pm.
KOA cancelled the medical card, as reports suggested Uzoho had told police he was on the plane on his way to Cyprus when the card was issued.
Following the appeal, Apollonas also reported to police that the medical card used was probably forged.
Police arrested three people in connection with the affair, including Anorthosis’ deputy chairman and doctor Kyriacos Yiangou.
The letter KOA sent to the CFA on Thursday was from Yiangou to the organisation in the days when it was considering cancelling the card.
What KOA has not said apparently was whether the card’s cancellation had a retroactive effect – that is, before the game with Anorthosis.
KOA chairman Andreas Michaelides defended the handling of the case and accused the CFA of seeking to pass the buck.
“We cannot accept the public’s and the media’s accusations that we are covering up the case,” he said. “We are accused of allowing political interference. This is ridiculous, we didn’t hide anything. We want the truth to shine.”
Anorthosis could be docked nine points if found guilty of fielding an ineligible player.
