Reflecting Criticism, Referee Association Offers Coach Audio Review

Following criticism from Hapoel Beer Sheva coach Ran Kozuch regarding referee conduct, the Israeli Referees Association plans to offer Kozuch and club officials a meeting to listen to audio recordings from a recent match. Kozuch had stated after his team's 2-0 loss to Hapoel Petah Tikva on Sunday that referees do not communicate appropriately with coaches and benches, and frequently issue yellow cards while not behaving properly themselves.

Kozuch's comments were made calmly after the game, despite the loss. The Referees Association conducted an internal review of the claims, examining audio segments from the match involving referee Gal Levy. According to association officials, the review did not find any issues with Levy's conduct or statements.

Nevertheless, the association intends to propose the meeting to Hapoel Beer Sheva to review the audio clips. The goal is to understand Kozuch's specific concerns about alleged disrespectful or dismissive remarks made by the referee during the game, demonstrating a willingness to address all claims seriously.