Hooliganism victim will need a year to recover

By George Psyllides

A 20-YEAR-old conscript who was seriously injured on the head during clashes outside a Limassol stadium was yesterday said to be out of danger, though at least a year would be needed for a full recovery.

Geadis Geadi suffered serious head injuries after he was hit on the head by a stone during clashes outside the Tsirion stadium.

Geadi, an APOEL Nicosia supporter, was on board a bus returning from Paphos, where his team had played AEP.

At around 7.15pm, the five buses were passing outside the Tsirion, which is next to the Limassol to Paphos motorway, when they were ambushed by around 80 Limassol fans, who had been attending the Limassol derby between AEL and Apollonas.

Geadi was first rushed to Limassol hospital, but due to the seriousness of his condition he was transferred to Nicosia, where he underwent emergency surgery.

Doctors said yesterday his condition was developing better than expected; he could now communicate with his environment and no neurological problems had emerged.

The 20-year-old is currently receiving antibiotics and anti-epilepsy drugs to prevent the risk of epileptic fits.

He would remain on the epilepsy drugs for around a year, doctors said.

Geadi is expected to be discharged from hospital in around 10 days but will return in two months in order to undergo surgery on the cranium to cover a gap left to his scull from the impact of the stone.

The clubs involved in the clashes have blamed the police for failing to prevent them, though Chief of Police Tassos Panayiotou rejected the charges, arguing what needed to be looked into was why fans of the two clubs clashed so regularly.

No one has been arrested in connection with Saturday’s violence, but Panayiotou said police would be studying video footage of the incident in order to identify the culprits.

Saturday’s was the latest incident in a protracted vendetta between fans from the two cities, who have been known to clash almost every time their sides meet.

Five months ago, a 25-year-old APOEL supporter was seriously injured in similar clashes outside the Tsirion.

He spent several days fighting for his life in hospital.

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