International friendlies being played in Cyprus this week will go ahead as planned, said referees who boycotted domestic fixtures at the weekend.

Matches were suspended on Saturday and Sunday as referees staged a protest after the car of their association chief, Leondios Trattos, was damaged in a bomb explosion on Friday.

Nobody was injured but the incident was the latest in a string of attacks against match officials.

Trattos, who has also been targeted in the past, is due to referee the friendly between Ukraine and United States tomorrow after the game was moved to the island for security reasons.

Cyprus are hosting Northern Ireland the same day.

“There is no reason for these fixtures not to take place,” referees association secretary Marios Panayi said yesterday.

“The absention of the referees was for the domestic fixtures. It has absolutely no impact on international games held under FIFA auspices.”