Hapoel Tel Aviv Owner Threatens Lawsuit Against Sports Channel

Ofer Yanai, the owner of the Hapoel Tel Aviv basketball club, has sent a sharp legal warning to the sports channel "Sport Channel" and commentator Eli Sahar, threatening a lawsuit over alleged defamatory remarks. The club claims Sahar has been promoting a "false and racist narrative" against the team's coach, Dimitris Itoudis, suggesting the coach discriminates against Israeli players.

The dispute escalated during a broadcast of a Winner League game. Following a commentator's positive mention of playing time given to Israeli players, Sahar reportedly remarked, "Not everyone is Itoudis." Yanai's legal team argues this implies Itoudis, a Greek coach, does not believe in or favors Israeli players, which Yanai insists is untrue and based solely on professional considerations.

This legal action is part of Yanai's broader strategy to "totally defend the brand and professional staff" of the club, refusing to tolerate media criticism he perceives as personal or biased. While the letter does not yet specify a financial demand, it serves as a clear warning of a potential defamation lawsuit.

The Sport Channel stated they had not yet received the letter and would respond upon receipt. The article also briefly mentions a separate business development for Yanai's energy company, "Nofar Energy," which recently secured a significant investment from "Meitav Gemel and Pensia" in its subsidiary "Nofar Israel."