Referees Union Explains Derby Controversies: Foul vs. No Foul

The Israeli Referees Association has released its decisions regarding controversial calls made during the Tel Aviv derby match, where Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv 4-1. The association addressed two key incidents: the disallowed goal by Maccabi's Ester Sukler and a foul claim against Hapoel's Fede Vico on Dor Peretz.

Regarding Sukler's disallowed goal in the 44th minute, the Referees Association stated that the foul was justified because Sukler's action involved stepping on a defender who was actively participating in the defensive play. This prevented the defender from marking an opposing player who subsequently scored. The association emphasized that Sukler's foul directly impacted the defensive play, making the goal's disallowance correct.

In contrast, the association explained that a foul call against Hapoel's Fede Vico for stepping on Maccabi's Dor Peretz in first-half stoppage time was correctly not penalized with a penalty kick. They clarified that Peretz, the player who was stepped on, was an attacking player not involved in the immediate play, could not reach the ball, and had no influence on the game. Therefore, the contact was deemed incidental and not a foul warranting a penalty.

The explanations aim to clarify the differing interpretations of similar actions, highlighting the context and impact on the game as crucial factors in refereeing decisions.