Ethnikos Achna Denounce Referee Over Racism Incident in Anorthosis Clash

Ethnikos Achna’s 2–0 victory over Anorthosis on the 22nd September has been overshadowed by a racism controversy that has sparked strong reaction from the club, its officials, and now the wider football community.

Club spokesman Angelos Vrahimis was among the first to speak publicly about the matter. Appearing on Supersport 104’s Dodeka sta Spor, the day after the game, he confirmed that midfielder Breno de Almeida Santana, who was sent off late in the match, had been subjected to racist abuse.

“Breno is suspended after his sending off against Anorthosis,” Vrahimis said. “Unfortunately, looking ahead to 2025 – and I’m not referring specifically to Anorthosis fans but in general – once again we had a racist incident. The player reacted in the end, and I believe the referee did not protect him as he should have, because there had already been protests to the referee earlier. Nor was there any announcement over the stadium loudspeakers. Yes, the player reacted and received a red card. He apologised to us and to our supporters. We will file a complaint about the incident, because these are things that should not be happening in football stadiums.”

Vrahimis expanded further on SPOR FM the following day, emphasising that the club’s complaint was directed squarely at the referee.

“Racist behaviour is condemned by everyone. It has nothing to do with clubs – it is unacceptable in society and in football,” he said. “Regarding this specific incident, the complaint we will be making is against the referee of the match. The player had been subjected to racist abuse from the start of the second half, coming from the away section. Our players spoke to the referee, saying it was happening continuously. There is no way he didn’t see and hear it. Despite the appeals of our players, he did nothing.

“The CFA regulations are clear. First, the referee should stop the match and make an announcement over the PA system. Then inform the club officials so they can address their supporters. Stop the match for five to ten minutes, and if it continues once play resumes, abandon the game completely. There was complete ignorance of the regulations. We reached the 90+3’, after it had been going on for some time, and only then did our player react and get sent off. The referee should have acted earlier, as required.”

On the 24th September, the newspaper Gipedo published a letter sent by Ethnikos to the Cyprus Football Association’s Refereeing Committee. Signed by club president Kikis Philippou, the letter provides a detailed account of the events and denounces both the racist behaviour of a section of Anorthosis supporters and the referee’s failure to intervene.

The letter states that Breno de Almeida Santana was the target of racist chants throughout the game, which intensified after Mamadou Kane entered the match in the 69th minute. Matters escalated further following Ethnikos’ second goal in the 88th minute, with monkey noises and chants of “monkey, monkey” directed at the players. Despite having a clear view of the incidents, the referee did not take any action.

Instead, the referee sent off Santana in stoppage time for reacting to the abuse and booked Alois Confais for attempting to raise the matter with him. After the final whistle, assistant coach Eduardo Pinceli approached the referee to convey the players’ frustration, only to be dismissed himself after being told by the referee that protecting players from racist abuse was “not my job.”

Ethnikos’ letter describes the referee’s stance as “unacceptable and reprehensible,” stressing that the failure to enforce anti-racism protocols not only damages the image of Cypriot football but undermines its fundamental principles of respect and equality. The club has demanded that the referee be sanctioned, stating that “such behaviour is condemnable and has no place in our football.”

The Cyprus Football Association is now expected to review the complaint, as the fallout from an incident that has drawn condemnation across the island continues to grow.