Ironi Tiberias on Wednesday issued a sharp denial after reports and an investigation suggested the club may have given players prohibited intravenous fluids before a crucial relegation playoff match against M.S. Ashdod. The club said no banned substances were administered and attacked Ashdod over its complaint to the Israel Football Association, saying, “The locker room in Tiberias is not the Jerusalem District Court, and saline is not Case 4000.”
In its statement, Tiberias said it has not received any formal complaint or authorized approach on the matter, and that everything it knows comes from media reports. The club added that if the allegations originated with Ashdod-linked figures, it amounts to an attempt to influence the result away from the pitch instead of accepting the sporting decision.
Tiberias insisted the treatment was a standard medical saline solution, legally purchased and containing no banned additives or ingredients. The club said it was used to help players recover during a period in which the team was playing two matches a week, that it was administered three days before the relevant game, and that the volume was “small and fully legal,” under medical supervision and in line with professional sports procedures. After further legal and medical checks, the club said it believes it complied with the law, World Anti-Doping Agency rules and all relevant instructions.
The case became public after reports claimed Tiberias players had received allegedly illegal infusions days before their 3-0 playoff win over Ashdod, a result that secured survival in the Premier League. The Football Association opened an investigation and collected materials including documents, photos and messages. Ashdod, through attorney Amit Hadad, filed an official complaint and asked for all evidence to be examined. The association said the matter is under review and that WADA has been informed. Tiberias said it will cooperate with every authorized body and is confident the inquiry will show it acted lawfully.
