Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Maccabi Tel Aviv Seek to Reduce Cup-Final Bans

The fallout from the State Cup final continued Wednesday, as Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Maccabi Tel Aviv appeared before the Israel Football Association's disciplinary court seeking to soften the punishments issued after the match. The incident led to mass suspensions of players from both sides.

The main focus was Hapoel Be'er Sheva player Samir Farhud, who has been suspended for six matches. Farhud said, “I take full responsibility and I apologize. I went onto the pitch because the security guards approved it.” He described the clash with Maccabi Tel Aviv's Kristian Bliz as unfolding after he ran toward the area where he saw everyone gathered.

Farhud also offered his version of the physical confrontation. “If I had punched him, he would not have come out like this,” he said. “Bliz strangled me, I do not know how I lifted him. Anyone in my place would have done the same.”

The hearing also included statements from other players and lawyers, including the association prosecutor, attorney Gilad Bergman, and Hapoel Be'er Sheva's lawyer, Roy Rozen. The article also notes that Mohammed Abu Romi and Zehai Ahmed gave their versions of events, with Ahmed saying, “I wanted to punch Assante, but I stopped.”