A fresh controversy erupted in Israeli football after the Israel Football Association said it had received a formal complaint from M.S. Ashdod’s lawyers alleging that Ironi Tiberias used prohibited IV treatments before the teams met in the lower playoff, a match Tiberias won 3-0. The case is still under investigation, and the key dispute is whether the club’s players received more than 100 milliliters, a threshold that could determine whether the treatment was legal under anti-doping rules.
According to the National Anti-Doping Organization in Israel and WADA, if Tiberias is found guilty, the punishment could be severe, including suspension from official competitions for up to four years and the possible annulment of results and matches. Players and staff members who were involved could also face personal sanctions. The next step, anti-doping officials said, would be a hearing or formal charges, while the Football Association may pursue its own disciplinary and legal process in parallel.
Tiberias says the infusion was given during a recovery training session the day after its previous match against Hapoel Haifa, as part of efforts to cope with a heavy fixture load and prevent dehydration. Club figures suggested Ashdod, which was relegated, is trying to find non-sporting ways to remain in the league and claimed the southern club has influence within the association, alongside the leverage of its new stadium.
Club co-owner Arie Kalmanzon told Sport5 that the team acted within the rules. “We are sure everything was done legally, the players received 100 milliliters to prevent dehydration,” he said. He added that coach Eliran Hodda and the medical staff handled the matter, insisted it was “a regular, standard infusion” made up only of saline, and denied any banned substance was involved. Kalmanzon said reports about large saline containers being found, allegedly above the permitted amount, referred to an incident three and a half days before the game, during a recovery session, and ended by saying, “Those who failed to beat us on the pitch are trying to create new scandals.”
