The coach and president of league-leading Cypriot club Omonia were banned Friday from all football matches for six months after being found guilty of shoving and trying to hit a referee.
The Cyprus Football Association's judicial panel also fined coach Neophytos Larkou and President Miltiades Neophytou ?2,000 ($2,674) each. The ban comes into force on Dec. 3.
The panel accepted the testimony of referee Christos Elia, who had accused Larkou of shoving him and Neophytou of cursing at him and trying to hit him in the tunnel leading to the dressing rooms after Omonia's 1-1 draw at Anagennisis Dherynia last month.
Omonia's executive board said on the team's website that it's ''surprised and disappointed'' with the ruling, which accepted the referee's ''contradictory'' version of events while ignoring the ''exculpitory testimony'' of independent witnesses.
The board said it intends to appeal the ruling and urged fans to exercise ''self-restraint.''
Omonia leads the standings with 26 points, six more than third-place APOEL, which this week became the first Cypriot team to reach the knockout stage of the Champions League after a scoreless draw at Zenit St. Petersburg.
