Ironi Tiberias Coach, Manager, and Five Players Suspended Over Illegal Injections Scandal

The National Anti-Doping Agency has temporarily suspended Ironi Tiberias football club's coach Eliran Hodida, professional manager Chen Sol, and five senior players amid an investigation into illegal injections. The suspensions follow suspicions that some players received banned substances through food supplements and injections intended to mask these substances before doping tests. The players suspended are David Kaltins, Guy Hadida, Niv Gottlieb, Sambinia, and Yonatan Teper, alongside staff member fitness coach Shlomi Vedardo. All have the right to a hearing and may negotiate plea deals or face trial under WADA regulations.

The players have hired attorney Efraim Barak, who maintains their innocence and has already received signals from the agency about possible plea negotiations. Ironi Tiberias owner Aryeh Kalmanzon dismissed the allegations as pressure tactics, claiming no official communication had been received and describing the scandal as a "spin" aimed at forcing the club's relegation. He expressed confidence the issue would blow over.

The case originated about two weeks ago when M.S. Ashdod, recently relegated after a close fight with Tiberias, filed a complaint with the Israel Football Association alleging illegal injections near a relegation playoff match. The anti-doping agency's investigation uncovered that large quantities of injections were administered to mask banned substances in supplements given to players. This development has led to the current suspensions as the probe continues.