M.S. Ashdod has filed an official complaint against Ironi Tiberias over an alleged doping violation, intensifying a scandal that has shaken Israeli football. The complaint centers on what Ashdod says was a deliberate medical infusion process used to gain an unfair advantage.
Attorney Amit Hadad, who represents Ashdod, told the sports show "5 Ba'Avir" that the case is supported by strong evidence. "We have clear-cut evidence against Tiberias," he said, adding, "We are after the secret has been exposed and the masks have been removed." Hadad said the matter involved "an infusion of a liter" and that each player was connected to a bag, which he said is prohibited unless there is a medical need.
He argued that even if there are reasons to conceal something, it is forbidden to carry out such an action intentionally to benefit players unfairly. According to Hadad, there are photos of the bags and people who provided information. He said Ashdod expects the authorities to treat the matter seriously and that it would not have moved forward without a solid evidentiary basis. Ashdod, he added, asked the anti-doping agency to receive the information from the Israeli Football Association.
Hadad said the club acted quickly, including sending the material on Friday, because some matters cannot wait. He called it "an unusual event I do not know of its kind" and said the urgency was meant to prevent evidence from being erased. He said the information reached Ashdod because the circle of people who knew about it was large, and expressed surprise at both the scale and the way it unfolded. He concluded that, in his view, the matter will be resolved quickly.
