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Complaint Filed Against MEP for Offensive Language Towards People with Intellectual Disabilities

Published January 26, 2026, 13:17
Complaint Filed Against MEP for Offensive Language Towards People with Intellectual Disabilities

The Cypriot Paralympic Committee will file a complaint to the European Parliament against MEP Pheidi Panayiotou, following his use of the term “pellous” to describe people with intellectual disabilities during a podcast. The Committee's president, Andreas Georgiou, emphasized that this behavior insults the Paralympic movement and that ignorance is not an excuse. The government, through Deputy Government Spokesman Yannis Antoniou, described Panayiotou's comments as disturbing and condemnable, while also expressing its support for the members of the Paralympic team. The complaint aims to protect the dignity of people with disabilities and prevent similar behavior in the future.