Hapoel Petah Tikva Appeals Technical Loss in 67-Page Document

Hapoel Petah Tikva FC is appealing a technical loss, submitting a 67-page document to the Supreme Court of the Football Association. The club seeks to overturn the decision that handed them a loss against Maccabi Netanya for fielding an ineligible player. The appeal argues that the referee, Gal Leibovitz, erred in applying the game's rules, and that the situation constituted a referee's mistake, not a club infraction. The club also contends that the match should not have been stopped, citing IFAB rules which state that a player refusing to leave the field when designated for substitution does not necessitate halting play. Furthermore, they argue that Roey Levy's substitution was not completed legally and did not provide Maccabi Netanya with a sporting advantage. The appeal also asserts that the game's laws supersede the association's regulations and that the disciplinary judges, Noam Lyubin and Nir Sumogorov, misinterpreted these regulations. Finally, Hapoel Petah Tikva claims the penalty was disproportionate, arguing that even if there was a procedural error, it did not amount to fielding an ineligible player warranting a technical defeat. The club is requesting the original 1-1 score be reinstated.