Friends of arrested footballer say they are shocked and expect the case to collapse

A footballer was arrested Sunday morning on suspicion of betting and match-fixing in a case being handled by Israel Police’s Lahav 433 serious crimes unit. He is expected to be brought later in the day for a hearing on extending his detention, and he is currently being questioned.

According to the report, the player belongs to a major club, but he is not expected to play for it next season and is not part of its plans. People close to him insist he has no connection to the case or to the other detainees.

His friends said they were stunned by the arrest and described him as a good person. One said, “We are in shock. A lot of times cases start like this and end with nothing, and that will be the case here too.”

A source in Israeli football said the wave of arrests linked to football does not reflect well on the sport, but added that each case must be examined on its own merits and that the key question is what evidence police have.