S Cyprus Government Says It Informed Barcelona of Its Position on Camp Cancellation

Barcelona’s planned football camp in Northern Cyprus, scheduled for September 7-11 and 16-20, was cancelled following political, diplomatic and sporting interventions by the Greek Cypriot side, according to reports in the Greek Cypriot press.

Alithia reported that Barcelona had initially advertised the camp at Near East University using the terms “Lefkosa Camp” and “Northern Cyprus”, creating what the newspaper described as issues in terms of sporting regulations and the alleged indirect promotion of the status of the “separatist entity”.

The newspaper said Cyprus Football Association (CFA) President Haris Loizidis had sent a letter to the Spanish club calling for intervention, claiming that the organisation violated the applicable sporting and legal framework.

The newspaper also reported that UEFA had been informed of the issue and that diplomatic contacts had taken place simultaneously.

Alithia argued that the case demonstrated how a sporting event could be turned into a tool of political propaganda. It stressed that the objection was not to Turkish Cypriot children participating in sporting activities, but to organising an event that allegedly presented the “occupied areas” as a separate state entity.

LETYMBIOTIS: WE WERE INFORMED OF THE CANCELLATION

Meanwhile, Fileleftheros reported comments by Greek Cypriot government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis on the issue.

According to the report, Letymbiotis said they had been informed of the club’s decision to cancel the camp and that the Republic of Cyprus had a “clear and institutional” position on the matter.

Letymbiotis said they had done what was required of them as an internationally recognised state by providing information and presenting the facts in detail and with seriousness.

He stressed that the final decision did not rest with them, while referring to the frameworks agreed under the auspices of FIFA and UEFA.