Appeal Upheld: Hapoel Tel Aviv Given 2-0 Lead Over Hapoel Jerusalem

The ruling was changed, the capital club was handed a technical loss in the first game of the semifinal series, and it could be eliminated as early as tonight if it loses at the Sports Hall.

Will the series end tonight? Hapoel Tel Aviv moved to a 2-0 lead on Thursday in its playoff semifinal series against Hapoel Jerusalem after the Basketball Association tribunal accepted the appeal filed by the Tel Aviv Reds and ruled that the Jerusalem side had received a technical loss in the first game. As recalled, contrary to the recommendation of the association prosecutor and the league administration to award Hapoel Tel Aviv a technical win, the tribunal initially ruled that both teams should replay the game because of the circumstances that led to its stoppage and the Jerusalem players’ refusal to take the floor for the fourth quarter at the Sports Hall. Now, following Hapoel Tel Aviv’s appeal and another recommendation from the association prosecutor and the league administration, the tribunal decided to change its ruling: “We will note the obvious, the result of the game is not determined by this court,” the verdict said. “The result was determined by Jerusalem, which chose to ignore the referees’ decisions and take the law into its own hands. It was not the ‘green table’ that decided, but rather leaving the court.” The verdict also stated: “Having determined in no uncertain terms that Jerusalem was solely responsible for the stoppage of the game, convicted it and passed judgment, the disciplinary tribunal should have ruled a technical loss for Jerusalem in accordance with Section 22 of the disciplinary regulations.”