By Andrew Warshaw
September 26 – Cypriot football has taken another symbolic step towards re-unification after a Greek-Cypriot player signed for a club in the Turkish-controlled north of the divided island.
An historic ‘provisional arrangement’ was signed last November by the two federations after 58 years of separation and in February Cyprus Turkish Football Association president Hasan Sertoglu opened up his league to players on the official Greek side.
Now Degirmenlik, a second division club in the CTFA whose league competition resumes this weekend, have signed 35-year-old midfielder Demetris Vasilliou, the first Greek Cypriot to move in the other direction after spells with Ermis Aradip, Omonia Aradip and Xeledimbo. Reports said Degirmenlik wanted to sign an official contract with Vasilliou but that this “did not work out”.
Although the Turkish Cypriot league is not recognised by FIFA or UEFA, the move nevertheless represents a highly symbolic step, not least because Greek-Cypriot players in the south a face a huge influx of foreign players.
There is still considerable work to be done, however, in terms of affiliation to the official Cypriot Football Association by the CTFA in an all-island agreement.
All 42 clubs belonging to the CTFA have unanimously approved the historic arrangement but the deal is some way off being implemented, with negotiations still ongoing to end decades of mistrust and disunity between the respective footballing communities.
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