Ofer Yanai Sues Basketball Bodies Over Court Ejection
Hapoel Tel Aviv owner Ofer Yanai filed a lawsuit on Thursday in Tel Aviv District Court against the Israeli Basketball Association, the Basketball Referees Association, and referee Dan Yellon-Davidovich over his removal during the State Cup quarterfinal against Hapoel Jerusalem. Yanai was later handed a two-month ban from arenas by the association’s disciplinary court, but he still did not attend games after the suspension ended, saying he was protesting the treatment he received.
The suit centers on the quarterfinal in which Yanai sat behind Hapoel Jerusalem coach Jonathan Alon, said he wanted to see up close whether Alon was crossing the line, then repeatedly filmed him on his phone and posted a video to Instagram with the caption, “It is technical, by the way.” Hapoel Tel Aviv sporting director Dan Shamir asked him to stop, but Yanai refused. Yanai then went toward the scorer’s table, saying he was looking for a phone charger, and Yellon-Davidovich ordered him to leave the court. When Yanai would not immediately comply, the referees halted play for about 10 minutes, and the game resumed only after he moved to the stands.
In his filing, Yanai argues the referee had no legal authority to remove him and says the stoppage lasted 13 minutes until he obeyed an unlawful order. The petition claims the decision violated his dignity, freedom of movement, property rights, and due process, and embarrassed him in front of the crowd, including his minor daughter, and television viewers.
Yanai is asking for declarations that a basketball referee cannot expel a spectator under section 46.14 of FIBA’s rules and that his own removal was unlawful. He also accuses Basketball Referees Association chairman Assi Shalem of influencing referees through the media. After Hapoel Tel Aviv’s January 25 game against Hapoel Beersheba, Shalem said, “We made a very serious mistake, this man should have been removed from the court, plain and simple. The referees did not act according to the rules, did not act according to their authority, and I very much hope they are not afraid.” The Basketball Association said it would respond after receiving the lawsuit and added that referees would continue to officiate professionally in all playoff-deciding games.
