Cyprus candidate event spoiled by protests.

Cyprus' bid to re-gain its place on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar in 2008 was severely dented last weekend when the running of its candidate event was disrupted by protests.

The event, which counted as a round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship - the second time this year Cyprus has held a round of the MERC, having staged the Troodos Rally in April - ran from October 12-14, but organisers had to cancel the first two stages 'due to the unfortunate actions of members of a local motorsports organisation'.

A statement published on the events official website read:

"Friends of motorsport, the FIA officials and all Cypriots were incensed after hooligans further damaged the reputation of motorsport and Cyprus itself by felling a tree and using it to block the road, causing the cancellation of SS2.

"This action came after Dimis Cacoyiannis and other members of the Cyprus Motorsport Federation, had sabotaged the first stage by blocking the road and holding the FIA observer 'hostage'.

"In SS2, they cut down the tree a few kilometres before the end and laid the trunk across the track.

"According to information from the area, the perpetrators were helmeted people on motorbikes.

"In the meantime, police are gathering evidence.

"At around 2pm the cars returned to Limassol, where it was decided that the Cyprus Rally would continue.

"The CAA organisers and the FIA officials are reassured that from now on police vigilance will prevent further disruption and the rally will continue without further incident in an effort to save the marred image of Cyprus and the position of the event on the FIA's World Rally Championship calendar."

In the end the event was won by Charalambos Timotheou, in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, the first time a Cypriot driver has taken the victory on the island's leading international sports event since 1991.

Defending Middle East and P-WRC champion Nasser Al-Attiyah was second in his Subaru, 1 minute 18.7 seconds behind Timotheou, while Dimitris Papasavvas was third. Current FIA Middle East Championship leader and occasional BP Ford WRT 'third' driver, Khalid Al-Qassimi took fourth followed by Amjad Farrah and Andreas Tsouloftas.

Cyprus meanwhile, which is competing with Poland to gain the final slot on next season's WRC schedule - after South Africa pulled out of the running - will learn in the next few weeks or so whether or not the incidents on SS1 and SS2 have cost the country the chance to re-join the WRC in 2008.