AEL Limassol challenges six-match ban for Cafu amid VAR investigation

On September 21, 2026, the football club AEL Limassol officially filed an appeal against the six-match suspension imposed on its player, Carlos Miguel Ribeiro Dias (Cafu), by the Cyprus Football Association’s (CFA) judicial committee. The player was punished for allegedly spitting at an opponent during a match against APOEL, an accusation that Cafu has denied, claiming he merely dropped a piece of gum from his mouth. AEL management has since escalated the matter, filing a complaint with the Cyprus Police regarding alleged external interference in the VAR system during the game.

Following a report by the CFA's Refereeing Committee, which confirmed irregularities in the VAR procedure, the Ethics and Sports Protection Committee launched an official investigation into potential match manipulation. The probe is expected to last up to three months, with the committee authorized to examine VAR recordings. Meanwhile, APOEL has publicly criticized AEL's actions, accusing the player of repeat misconduct and labeling the club's defensive stance as a lack of professional integrity. AEL remains confident that its appeal will lead to the cancellation of the player's ban as the investigation proceeds.