Security tight in Nicosia
NICOSIA (AP) – Cyprus will deploy 400 police officers to prevent trouble between fans at today’s UEFA Cup qualifier between Turkey’s Trabzonspor and Greek-Cypriot club APOEL. «Numerous security measures will be taken. Some visible, others not,» Christakis Dionysiou, Nicosia’s police director, said yesterday. Metal detectors will be installed at Nicosia’s GSP Stadium for the second qualifying round match, while banners bearing political or offensive slogans will be appropriated. About 2,000 Turkish-Cypriot fans are expected to attend. It will be Trabzonspor’s second encounter with a Cypriot side in a year. The Turkish team exited the second qualifying round of last season’s Champions League after losing 3-2 on aggregate to Anorthosis of Famagusta. APOEL was drawn against Turkey’s Besiktas for the European Cup in 1986 but did not travel to Istanbul for the first leg for political reasons, receiving a two-year ban from European competitions on top of its disqualification.
