Israeli Football Association Chair Candidate Insists on Elections Amidst Allegations

Issawi Freige, a candidate vying for the chairmanship of the Israeli Football Association (IFA) against incumbent Shino Zoaretz, has declared his intention to proceed with the elections, asserting he has secured sufficient votes. Freige criticized the current leadership, stating the IFA should be a professional body focused on managing football, not on preventing elections. He claims to have "much more than 17 votes" and is committed to submitting his candidacy to ensure democratic elections, urging against fear of the democratic process.

Freige alleges that the "centers" (referring to Hapoel and Maccabi sports centers) have united in an "illegal" move to support Zoaretz, characterizing it as "cheap politicking" aimed at dividing jobs and hindering football's progress. He argues that these centers receive significant funding based on the clubs under them and that their influence over clubs, including alleged threats and intimidation, is illegitimate. Freige stated that clubs have confided in him about corruption and fear, which he believes is being used to prevent elections.

He emphasized his commitment to tackling racism and violence in football and to rebuilding youth departments from the ground up, seeing this as crucial for fostering a better society. Freige also pointed to Maccabi Tel Aviv as the dominant force in Israeli sports, influencing both football and basketball.

Freige urged clubs, especially those in lower leagues, not to be intimidated by the centers, reminding them that they are the "owners" and decision-makers. He accused Zoaretz's team of attempting to disqualify his candidacy through technicalities and called for fair and honest processing of his application, emphasizing that democratic elections are beneficial for Israeli football.