Former Maccabi Tel Aviv Coach Roni Dalia Makes Rare Public Appearance in Norway

Roni Dalia, the former coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv, was recently seen attending an early-round Norwegian Cup match in his homeland, marking a rare public appearance since his departure from Israeli football. Dalia left his coaching position following allegations of sexual harassment involving a taxi driver late at night. Although he had professional success with Maccabi Tel Aviv, the incident led to his disappearance from the public eye both in Israel and Norway.

At the match, Dalia watched alongside about 600 spectators as his childhood club, Urædd, lost a 3-0 lead against Kolnes. Dalia grew up in Urædd's academy and played for their senior team but never coached them or any Norwegian team since 2020. Currently, he is not expected to return to coaching.

Following the harassment allegations, Dalia issued a public apology, stating he did not remember the incident clearly due to excessive drinking and expressed sincere regret if his behavior offended the taxi driver. The Tel Aviv District Attorney closed the criminal case, deeming the offense borderline in severity. Dalia also apologized to the club's staff and fans, emphasizing his commitment to learn from the situation and improve his conduct professionally.