Referees’ chief says personal lawsuit is meant to pressure Israel basketball officials

Assi Shalem, chairman of the Israeli Referees Association, spoke on Sport 5’s “5 Be’Avir” about Ofer Yanai’s decision to sue referees personally, amid the current Champions League-style final series between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Yanai’s Hapoel Tel Aviv. Shalem said the referees are trying to finish “a very difficult and complicated season” and insisted, “We are not corrupt, we do our work in the most professional and loyal way.”

He said the association has received what he called baseless lawsuits and will answer in court. “We are biting our lips, we have a lot to say, and we will say everything in court,” he said, adding that the other side “may be surprised” by what they present. Shalem also said he believes the timing was deliberate, because the suit was filed during the series rather than after it ended.

The most painful moment for him, he said, was a call from his daughter after she read online that he had been sued for defamation because of his role. “This is what you get for giving so many hours, giving up time with us, and spending money to hold this position? Is this the thanks you get?” she told him, according to his account. Shalem said the conversation left him deeply disappointed, but added that he told her not to give up and to keep believing in integrity and principles.

Shalem said the referees will not be broken and will continue serving all teams. He argued that someone on the other side has not stopped escalating matters and said he had expected this trajectory for two years. Referring to an audio recording mentioned in the lawsuit, he said it was made by a private investigator, that Moshe Biton apologized to Yanai for it, and that the matter should have ended then. He said the association will file its defense in the coming 10 days and then reveal all its evidence.