Richard Deitz Blasts Maccabi Tel Aviv Leadership Amid Ownership Battle
Maccabi Tel Aviv investor Richard Deitz issued a harsh statement criticizing Shimon Mizrahi and Udi Recanati amid an ongoing ownership and share dispute.
The ownership battle surrounding Maccabi Tel Aviv continues to escalate despite the team's recent EuroLeague loss to Beşiktaş, with investor Richard Deitz issuing a scathing statement targeting club figures Shimon Mizrahi and Udi Recanati.
Conflict Over Share Transactions
Deitz blasted the decision to exercise a right of first refusal regarding the sale of Ben Ashkenazi's shares to Jason Levin. In his statement, Deitz noted that he had already exercised his own primary refusal right concerning the exact same transaction back on September 4.
"Mizrahi and Recanati present: another act in a tribute to the theater of the absurd," Deitz wrote at the beginning of his remarks, criticizing the shifting roles of the management figures.
Shifts in Management Positions
According to Deitz, Recanati and Mizrahi have repeatedly altered their positions throughout the negotiations—shifting from buyers to sellers and later acting as brokers. He detailed a timeline of transactions, including a July 7 deal where the Recanati family purchased a 29% stake from the Federman family based on a club valuation of $170 million, only to announce plans to sell those holdings to Jason Levin shortly thereafter.
Deitz concluded by stating that his interventions are strictly aimed at protecting Maccabi Tel Aviv and its loyal fanbase from hasty and reckless decisions.
