Cyprus team walks out of European final over referee decision

The Cyprus Olympic Committee will investigate the withdrawal of three Cypriot shooters from a European Championship final in Malakasa, with the sports ethics watchdog calling for severe penalties. The committee’s audit committee will meet on Thursday to examine the incident, which followed a disputed refereeing decision during the team skeet final against the Czech Republic. Cyprus Olympic Committee president Yiannis Ioannou said that letters had been sent to the shooting federation (SKOK) requesting its account of events. Investigators would examine video footage and witness statements before calling the athletes to give their evidence. “Where responsibilities arise, they will be held accountable,” Ioannou said. The Cyprus team comprised Sotiris Antoniou, Giorgos Achilleios and Demetris Konstantinou, who were competing for gold and silver medals. The dispute began when a referee ruled that Antoniou had missed one of two targets. The Cypriot team requested a video review, but the referee upheld the decision. The athletes and coaches then protested and left the competition area. SKOK president Lenos Kyriakou said the athletes had reacted wrongly by walking out, but argued that they believed the decision was unjust. He said the federation was investigating the conduct of the three shooters and two coaches involved. Kyriakou said disciplinary measures would not be imposed immediately because the world championships in Doha are due to take place in about 15 days, with Olympic qualification places at stake. Konstantinou would compete as planned, he said, adding that any sanctions would be considered after the event. He also questioned the jurisdiction of the sports ethics committee (EDPA) over an incident at an international competition. EDPA vice-president Efthymios Efthymiou said the committee had begun examining the case on its own initiative the day after the match, before receiving a formal complaint. He said it would seek serious penalties for both the athletes and SKOK officials, in cooperation with the Cyprus Olympic Committee. “When you represent your country in international competitions, your behaviour must be 100 per-cent correct,” Efthymiou said. He contrasted the walkout with shooter Nikolas Kyriakou’s conduct at the 2025 Commonwealth Games, when the Cypriot appealed a decision in favour of his opponent after believing the target had been hit correctly, ultimately losing the chance to win gold.