Israeli Football Coach Banned for 10 Games After Insulting Female Arab Referee
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS Arabic by baba
Israeli football coach Saher Mizrahi of Agudat Holon received a 10-game ban and a 20-game suspended sentence for racist and abusive behavior towards referee Ayah Faraj. The incident occurred after a penalty was awarded in the 92nd minute, leading Mizrahi to insult Faraj. The disciplinary court issued the ruling in absentia. Mizrahi is a former prominent player and youth coach for Bnei Yehuda.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Coach Saher Mizrahi received a 10-game ban and a 20-game suspended sentence for insulting a female Arab referee.
- The referee, Ayah Faraj, reported Mizrahi used racist and abusive language after a penalty call.
- Mizrahi entered the field and confronted Faraj, shouting insults and making gestures.
- The disciplinary court ruled in absentia after Mizrahi failed to attend his hearing.
- Mizrahi is a former prominent player and coach for the Bnei Yehuda club.
The Israeli Football Association's disciplinary court has suspended Saher Mizrahi, coach of second-division team Agudat Holon, for 10 actual matches, with an additional 20-game suspended sentence. The punishment follows his conviction for racist, abusive behavior and insulting the match referee. The ruling was issued in absentia as Mizrahi did not attend the hearing.
According to the report filed by referee Ayah Faraj, daughter of former Knesset Member Issawi Frej, a penalty kick was awarded to Beitar Petah Tikva in the 92nd minute. Mizrahi then entered the field and shouted at Faraj, "You don't understand anything." Faraj stated in her testimony that after Mizrahi was shown a red card, he directed vulgar and racist insults at her, referencing her Arab ethnicity and gender. The coach of Agudat Holon intervened to prevent Mizrahi from approaching her after he gestured with his fist towards her.
Disciplinary judge Shai Yishinowski Yariv imposed the sentence, finding that Mizrahi had crossed the line, citing clauses related to racist and abusive conduct and insulting referees. Mizrahi is a prominent figure from the 1990s and early 2000s Bnei Yehuda club, where he also coached the youth division for seven seasons and was known as a beloved player. He concluded his work at the club's football school last summer.
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