Nicosia, Cyprus. Former Cyprus football association president Giorgos Koumas is scheduled to appear before the Nicosia district court next Thursday to face 25 charges linked to alleged conflicts of interest and financial dealings involving football television rights. The charges cover the period from 2015 to 2025.
Allegations and legal provisions
The charges include allegations that Koumas maintained professional and financial links incompatible with his role as head of the Cyprus football association (CFA), as well as two counts of money laundering involving sums estimated at approximately €6.5 million.
According to the indictment, Koumas is accused of breaching provisions of the law on combating the manipulation of sports events and article 20 of the criminal code by allegedly operating, through companies under his control, within sectors directly connected to organised sport.
Activities cited in the indictment
The alleged activities include the production and live broadcast of sporting events, the management of television rights, and the exploitation of internet and mobile broadcasting rights for football, basketball and horse racing.
Organisations cited in the indictment include Cyta, Cablenet, the Nicosia horse racing club and the basketball federation, alongside the CFA itself.
Prosecutors claim these links created conflicts of interest while Koumas was serving as a senior football official with supervisory responsibilities.
Money laundering counts and next steps
Prosecutors allege that proceeds derived from the activities described in the earlier charges were subsequently concealed or channelled through corporate structures, with sums amounting to around €6.5 million.
A new hearing date is anticipated to be requested, as Koumas’ lawyers, Christos Triantafyllidis and Marios Orphanides, have said they will seek time to review the case file.
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