Tiberias Football Club Accuses Israel Football Association Prosecutor of Political Bias

Tiberias Football Club issued a sharp statement on July 26 following a hearing at the Israel Football Association's disciplinary court concerning the club. The club's representative, attorney Eyal Yaffe, withdrew the petition after the association's prosecutor, attorney Gilad Bergman, announced his intention to file formal charges against the club.

In their statement, Tiberias accused Bergman of abandoning his role as a neutral legal professional to become a political enforcer, citing his active participation and management of the investigation alongside the lead investigator. The club described this as a blatant conflict of interest that undermines the legal basis of the entire process. Additionally, they highlighted the ongoing involvement of the association's chairman, Shinu Zohar, in the investigation, questioning the propriety of his personal interference in disciplinary matters.

Tiberias criticized the association for failing to deny these claims during the hearing and called the investigation a politically orchestrated and fundamentally tainted event. They declared that once the indictment is filed, the association will be compelled to disclose all confidential investigation materials, which Tiberias plans to use to dismantle what they call a "balloon of lies" and reveal the truth in the disciplinary court.

The club's statement signals a deepening conflict with the Israel Football Association as it awaits the formal charges promised by the prosecutor within days, marking a critical phase in the ongoing saga.