Tiberias Team Owner Accuses Trustee of Mismanagement Amid Financial Dispute

A fierce dispute continues at the Hapoel Ironi Tiberias soccer club, following a temporary injunction by the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court that halted the seizure of NIS 1.3 million in bank guarantees. These guarantees were provided by Dorot Group, owned by Arieh Kalmanzon, who is now sharply criticizing the club's management.

Kalmanzon's group claims the club's announcement that the halted seizure delays player and staff salaries is a "transparent, manipulative, and desperate attempt" to shift blame from the "failed management" of trustee Adv. Liza Hadash. They allege the club is using players and staff as "hostages" in a personal conflict.

Kalmanzon's camp also suggested the seizure request, filed shortly after Kalmanzon's public criticism, was retaliatory. They pointed to the temporary injunction as evidence that the circumstances of the seizure require examination. The court has yet to rule on the parties' claims, with a hearing scheduled for November 23.

Kalmanzon's primary criticism targets the club's finances since Hadash took over as trustee. His statement asserts that the club had approximately NIS 2 million in its coffers a month prior, with additional income received since then, including NIS 300,000 from a recent home game and hundreds of thousands from player deals. He questioned how the club could face a cash flow crisis within a month under Hadash's management, asking "Where did all the club's income disappear to?"

Kalmanzon's group stated that since Hadash became trustee, they have been stripped of management authority, denied financial data, and seen professional staff dismissed. They concluded that "She who took 100% of the authority bears 100% of the responsibility." They also asserted that player and staff salaries are owed from existing club funds and income, not from extorting personal guarantees.

Ironi Tiberias, however, previously stated that player and staff salaries were submitted for approval to be paid from the guarantee funds, and the injunction is delaying this process. The club maintains its demand for the seizure of guarantees to settle salaries as soon as possible.