Audit report reveals lack of oversight at the Cyprus Sports Organization

A recent audit report from the Audit Office of the Republic of Cyprus, covering the period between 2024 and August 2025, has highlighted significant deficiencies in the oversight exercised by the Cyprus Sports Organization (KOA) over sports federations. The report reveals that 78 out of 85 federations failed to submit their 2023 audited financial statements by the September 2024 deadline, yet the KOA imposed no penalties for this non-compliance. Furthermore, the Audit Office noted that the KOA lacks an effective complaint registry and struggles to enforce compliance measures. The report specifically addresses the Cyprus Football Association (KOP), clarifying that while sports federations maintain autonomy under FIFA and UEFA frameworks, this autonomy does not grant immunity from national auditing or accountability requirements. The Audit Office concludes that the KOA has failed to exercise effective control over subsidized sports entities. The Pancyprian Footballers Association (PASP) welcomed the report, asserting that it definitively refutes the argument that sporting autonomy justifies a lack of transparency and accountability. The association also linked these findings to its ongoing demands for gender equality in benefits for national team athletes, citing the KOA's continued inaction in enforcing legal provisions.