Tiberias Football Club Demands Suspension of Investigator in Bribery Case, Threatens Lawsuit

Tiberias Football Club has launched a strong attack against the football association's investigation system, demanding the immediate suspension of investigator Din Or Perger from the bribery case involving the club. Represented by lawyer Eyal Yaffe, the club sent a warning letter threatening a defamation lawsuit for 500,000 shekels, accusing Perger of conducting a biased and politically motivated investigation that tramples on players' rights.

The club's letter reveals serious procedural flaws, highlighting Perger's disciplinary record, which includes convictions for threats and severe insults toward referees. Tiberias expressed shock that the association entrusted such a sensitive investigation to someone with a history of contempt for the system, suggesting the investigation was prejudiced from the start.

Central to the controversy are interrogation transcripts of player Ron Ungar, published by Walla News, where Perger allegedly declared the club would be relegated and insulted its leadership with terms like "scoundrels" and "trash." The investigator also claimed Tiberias did not deserve to play in the top league, statements the club views as proof of a foreign political agenda.

The warning letter further accuses Perger of applying brutal psychological pressure on players Ron Ungar, Niv Gottlieb, and Yehonatan Teper to extract false confessions. The club also alleges that polygraph test results were concealed by the investigators, who avoided sharing findings under dubious excuses, raising suspicions that the evidence does not support the prosecution's case.

Tiberias also points to selective enforcement, noting that striker Itamar Shabiro admitted that salt injections were common in other clubs like Maccabi Netanya, yet the association has remained silent about those cases while targeting Tiberias exclusively. The club concludes that this is an attempt to manipulate league outcomes off the field and vows to fight to clear its professional reputation.

The case remains ongoing, with Tiberias pressing for the investigator's removal and preparing for legal action to defend its name and rights.