Referee Chief Defends Derby Decisions, Addresses Coach Complaints

Ziv Adler, chairman of the Israeli Referees Association's professional committee, defended several controversial calls made during a recent Tel Aviv derby, explaining the rationale behind yellow cards issued to Stav Turiel and Ohad Davida. Adler stated that while the initial contact by Davida warranted a card for inciting passion, Turiel's subsequent push created a mass confrontation, leading to both players being booked according to UEFA guidelines. He also addressed the disallowed goal for Maccabi Tel Aviv, deeming the foul a correct intervention despite its accidental nature, and acknowledged that the referee could have handled Eyal Peretz's red card incident differently, suggesting the player also contributed to the escalation.

Adler responded to criticism from coach Ran Kochav, who accused referees of disrespect. Adler agreed that referees must communicate respectfully but asserted that the referee in question spoke appropriately with Kochav during the match, noting that Israeli referees like Yigal Fried are also trusted with European assignments. He suggested that interactions might differ in the domestic league.

Furthermore, Adler provided an update on referee Sapir Berman, who failed a fitness test. He expects her to undergo re-evaluation soon and potentially return to officiating after the upcoming international break. Adler also highlighted the positive impact of new rules on increasing actual playing time in the Israeli Premier League, noting a roughly ten percent increase in net playing time, bringing it in line with other top leagues.

Regarding transparency, Adler explained that the association selectively publishes decisions it deems important for public understanding, but is open to addressing specific queries from clubs. He also expressed satisfaction with the performance of Israeli referees in European competitions over the past summer, with four officiating national team matches.