League Chairman Says Player-Fan Clash Hurt the League's Image

Game 2 of the Israeli Basketball Premier League final between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv is set for Thursday night, after Maccabi took Game 1 and went up 1-0 in the series. Tensions remain high after a late-game altercation in the opener, when Jalen Hord got into a confrontation with a Hapoel fan, prompting players and staff from both sides to rush in.

The incident drew criticism from several directions, including from Hapoel owner Ofer Yanai. League chairman Ari Steinberg addressed the matter in an interview on 5 Ba'avir, saying, “There is no place for any player to leave the court and confront a fan.” He added that he did not know exactly what happened, but had asked for the issue to be reviewed because it concerns the player himself.

Steinberg said that even though Hord was not put on trial, which he noted was an Israeli Basketball Association decision, the league has its own authority and he intends to act. “There is a damage to the image of the league,” he said. “I know not everything is always visible, but what I did see, I did not like.”