NICOSIA, Nov 3 (AFP) - A charity football match between Greek and Turkish Cypriot players due to take place in the north of this divided island was postponed indefinitely on Wednesday after Greek Cypriot critics said the venue was a former execution site.
The match had been billed as a confidence-building initiative on an island where sporting contact between Greek and Turkish Cypriots is rare.
The two-leg match between veteran players of Omonia Nicosia football club from the Greek Cypriot south and an all-star Turkish Cypriot side was supposed to raise money for children suffering from cancer.
The first leg was played last week in the south without any trouble. The Turkish Cypriot team won 5-2 but the Omonia players called off the return leg due to be played at the GSP stadium in the northern town of Kyrenia.
Kyrenia refugees and the Greek Cypriot bishop of Kyrenia said the return game should not be played at the venue because dozens of captured Greek Cypriot soldiers were executed there during the 1974 Turkish invasion.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third in response to an Athens-engineered coup in Nicosia aimed at joining the island with Greece.
"We give fatherly advice to the veteran players of Omonia not to play at the Kyrenia stadium which is drenched in the blood of dozens of Greek Cypriot soldiers who were executed there ... they should be respected," said Kyrenia's Bishop Pavlos.
With feelings running high among Kyrenians, the players decided to cancel the match.
"We are truly sorry that a charity match created such an adverse reaction and negative comments against our club," said a statement by Omonia veterans.
"Out of respect for the feelings of Kyrenia refugees we decided to postpone the game and we believe the other side will understand," the veterans added.
Omonia football club is the most successful and supported club in Cyprus where soccer is the most popular sport.
The old timers said they would not be discouraged from keeping in touch with their fellow Turkish Cypriot players, once the climate has improved.
11/03/2004 19:22 GMT - AFP