Police have placed a 41-year-old father in custody for three days after arresting him on Saturday afternoon (7 February) on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm to an Aris Limassol academy coach during an under-12 match at the Kalogeropouleio stadium.
Officers brought the suspect before Limassol District Court on Sunday morning. Investigators from Limassol CID initially sought a five-day remand, but reduced the request to three days. Defence lawyer Argentoula Ioannou raised no objection.
Speaking to philenews, Ioannou said her client had gone to the police on Saturday afternoon intending to file a complaint against the coach over alleged behaviour towards his underage son, including verbal abuse and an attack. Police advised him to return at 5pm. According to Ioannou, officers later took a statement from her client but ignored his complaint and proceeded with his arrest.
Investigators are expected to take statements from parents who were present, as well as from other officials at the scene. Police also plan to take a video-recorded statement from the suspect’s minor son, an academy footballer, who, according to his father, says the coach subjected him to insults and aggressive behaviour.
Presenting the case to court on Sunday (8 February), police said the incident occurred during a grassroots academy match for children aged six to 12 between Aris Limassol and Apollon Limassol. During the game, the suspect allegedly attacked the coach, striking him with his hands, then grabbing him around the waist, lifting him and throwing him forcefully to the ground. The Aris coach suffered injuries and was taken to a private hospital, where doctors diagnosed a fracture of the left clavicle and an injury to the left shoulder blade. He remains hospitalised.
A patrol from Limassol Police Division attended the scene. Police said their inquiries showed the suspect attacked and injured the coach after his son became involved in a verbal dispute with the opposing team’s coach. The injured coach identified the suspect to officers as his attacker. He told police the match took place without a referee and that the children were playing very aggressively.
According to the coach, the incident began when he told the children to calm down. A child from Apollon Limassol then insulted him. He replied that the behaviour was rude and that the child should be ashamed. The coach said he then saw Apollon’s coach approach him, while at the same time the suspect ran towards him and tried to push him. He fell to the ground, after which the suspect grabbed him around the waist, lifted him and threw him down again with force, causing injuries to his shoulder and head.
Questioned by police, the 41-year-old said the opposing coach was acting as a referee during the match and was shouting and swearing at the Apollon children. He claimed that after his 11-year-old son received a hard challenge and appealed for a foul, the coach insulted him and continued swearing. The suspect said the coach then approached his son in a threatening manner. He entered the pitch, he claimed, to protect his child after seeing the coach push him.
The suspect told police his son appeared terrified. He said he grabbed the coach as they both fell to the ground and, as he tried to stand up, felt the coach’s hand on his neck, after which the coach fell again. He denied any intention to injure the coach and claimed he acted in self-defence for himself and his son. Police said these claims will be examined.