Maccabi Haifa Management Boycotts Jerusalem Match Over Fan Violence
Maccabi Haifa management and owner Yaakov Shahar boycotted tonight's match against Hapoel Jerusalem at Teddy Stadium in solidarity with fans protesting police violence.
The management of Maccabi Haifa decided not to attend tonight's match against Hapoel Jerusalem at Teddy Stadium, as a sign of solidarity with the fans' protest. Senior club officials, including owner Yaakov Shahar and CEO Itzik Ovadia, will be absent from the stands following the green fans' protest over violence at previous matches in Jerusalem.
Maccabi Haifa explained the background to the protest: Over the past five years, dozens of Maccabi Haifa fans have been injured at games in Jerusalem, and thousands more returned home after exposure to violence at Teddy Stadium. This harsh reality has led to a deep crisis of trust between the fans and the capital's police.
The club emphasized that the decision not to attend was made by the fans themselves: This is not a protest of a handful of fans, but a painful cry from an entire audience that chooses with a heavy heart not to accompany its team due to bad experiences at Teddy Stadium.
The club added that for fans who accompany the team everywhere, this is an unbearable decision. It stems from a loss of trust and a real fear for their safety, following the events of recent years. It is time to take the fans' cry seriously.