Eyal Berkovic Ordered to Pay 51,000 Shekels in Defamation Lawsuit
A Tel Aviv court ordered media personality Eyal Berkovic to pay 51,000 shekels to goalkeeper Tzlil Hatocha for defamatory match-fixing accusations made on air in 2021.
Former Israeli football star and media personality Eyal Berkovic has been ordered by the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Magistrate's Court to pay 51,000 shekels in damages to goalkeeper Tzlil Hatocha for defamation.
The high-profile legal dispute stems from 2021 comments made by Berkovic during his broadcast work. While Hatocha was playing for F.C. Kafr Qasim in the Liga Leumit, Berkovic launched a severe on-air attack following a conceded goal, baselessly accusing the goalkeeper of match-fixing in five separate interviews.
Berkovic dismissed the play as a "stinking goal," claimed that entire leagues are fixed, mocked Hatocha's defensive movement, and publicly called for a police investigation. At the time of the broadcasts, Berkovic also served as the sporting director for Hapoel Petah Tikva, a direct league rival of Kafr Qasim, presenting a clear conflict of interest.
An official investigation conducted by a private security firm on behalf of the Israel Football Association completely cleared Hatocha of any wrongdoing. Rather, the probe revealed that individuals associated with Petah Tikva fans had actually considered offering incentives to Hatocha to keep a clean sheet.
Legal counsel for Berkovic argued that his harsh rhetoric fell under legitimate freedom of opinion and standard sports broadcasting banter. Ultimately, both parties agreed to let Judge Ronit Pinchuk-Alt rule on a compromise settlement, concluding the lengthy legal battle.
