Fidias Panayiotou Apologises For Calling Paralympians “Crazy”

Cypriot Member of the European Parliament Fidias Panayiotou issued a public apology after facing intense backlash over comments he made about Paralympic athletes with intellectual disabilities during a podcast appearance.

The controversy erupted after a clip from the podcast resurfaced online, in which Panayiotou used the term “pelli” (“crazy”) while referring to athletes with intellectual disabilities competing in the Paralympic Games. Although the video had been published nearly two months earlier, it regained attention in recent days, triggering widespread criticism from organisations and the public.

Social media users described the remark as offensive and unacceptable, prompting Panayiotou to respond publicly. In a video posted on his personal TikTok account, the MEP acknowledged that the wording was wrong and inappropriate. He stated that using such a term for any disability, disorder, or illness was a mistake and stressed that he had no intention of offending athletes who represent the country. He added that the phrase was spoken unintentionally.

At the same time, Panayiotou questioned the timing of the renewed backlash. He asked why the reaction emerged now, arguing that the video had been publicly available for weeks. He suggested that the resurgence of the issue might be linked to a recent opinion poll showing his political movement, “Direct Democracy,” rising from 5% to double-digit support.

The incident occurred during a podcast discussion featuring Paralympic swimmer Loizos Chrysanthou. As Chrysanthou explained the Paralympic classification system and noted that category S14 concerning athletes with intellectual disabilities, Panayiotou intervened by asking whether the category was “for the crazy.” The guest appeared visibly uncomfortable and immediately corrected him.

Reactions extended beyond social media. The Cyprus Paralympic Committee announced its intention to submit an official complaint to the European Parliament, stating that the remarks were offensive and undermined the Paralympic movement and people with disabilities.