Hapoel Ironi Tiberias Lawyers Accuse Investigator of Bias in Doping Case

The sentencing phase for Hapoel Ironi Tiberias in the doping case convened Thursday before the Football Association's disciplinary tribunal. After an hour of heated discussion, the parties agreed to schedule a follow-up hearing.

Attorneys for Tiberias, including Zion Amir, Eyal Yaffe, and Nir Lazar, argued for a full acquittal, claiming the players were not charged with using banned substances while the club was. They further contended that if the quantities and duration of player infusions were not proven, an acquittal was warranted.

The defense team launched a strong attack on investigator Dean Perger, accusing him of "contaminating the investigation" and demanding his disqualification. They alleged Perger "received instructions from the Association chairman, Shino Zuarz." Football Association prosecutor Gilad Bergman vehemently denied these claims, stating, "It never happened."

Bergman accused the defense attorneys of attempting to conduct a futile and pointless proceeding. He stated, "We have no problem with a parade, with the players coming, the investigator too. Our idea is to save time. The Tiberias people decided to administer infusions in the dark, claiming they didn't know it was forbidden. They injured a player, didn't inform the players, and tried to conceal and tamper with evidence."