Former Hapoel Be'er Sheva Striker Faces Suspension After Violent Incident in China

Paul Arlund Gerita, a former Hapoel Be'er Sheva striker, has been involved in a serious incident while playing for Shenzhen Youngor in China's second division. After a strong start in Asia, scoring ten goals in nine appearances and becoming the team's top scorer, Gerita was sent off during a match against Suzhou Dongwu for striking an opponent, Jin Qiang, on the back of the head when the ball was not in play. The referee issued a direct red card, and following a review, the Chinese Football League's disciplinary committee classified the act as violent conduct, imposing a five-match suspension and a fine of 40,000 yuan (approximately 18,000 shekels).

Following the suspension, Gerita was also removed from his team's roster for the remainder of the season, a decision he criticized as excessively harsh. In a social media statement, the Cameroonian forward apologized to the club and fans, expressed disappointment over being excluded despite his scoring achievements, and affirmed his mental resilience and readiness to return to play soon. Gerita joined Hapoel Be'er Sheva from Al Faisaly Saudi Arabia, appearing in 33 matches and scoring five goals, contributing to the club's State Cup victory in the 2025/26 season.