Football Player Accuses Opponent of Monkey Noises, Cites Racism

Ezekiel Henty, a player for Hapoel Rishon LeZion, has accused an opposing player, Matan Levi of Bnei Yehuda, of making monkey noises at him during their match on Tuesday. Henty described the incident as "unforgivable" and a "red line" crossed, stating that such behavior is unacceptable and constitutes racism in sports. He expressed disappointment that the referee, who was close by, did not intervene, although the referee reportedly denied hearing the alleged noises.

Henty, who is in his third season in Israel, noted that while he usually doesn't pay much attention to crowd taunts, this incident, coming from another player, was different. He explained that he chose not to stop playing out of respect for Israeli football and the National League, despite his teammates urging him to walk off the field. He believes that while curses and aggressive language can be part of an emotional game, making animal noises is beyond acceptable.

Following the match, Levi reportedly attempted to apologize, but Henty rejected it, stating it was too late and that the act was dehumanizing and a hate crime, not just an insult. Henty emphasized that such behavior treats him as less than human and is not normal in football.

Henty mentioned that a friend from Bnei Yehuda, Eli Levy, has promised to address the issue with Levi, acknowledging that Henty has never reacted so strongly before. Bnei Yehuda declined to comment on the incident.