Player’s Lawyer Seeks Ban on Publishing His Name After Arrest Over Match-Fixing Probe

A footballer suspected of match-fixing and systematic, compulsive gambling appeared on Sunday for a hearing on extending his detention, after being arrested at Ben Gurion Airport. The hearing quickly turned into a dispute over whether his name should be allowed for publication.

His attorney, Batel Shiriki, asked the court for a gag order, saying, “I do not want his name to be ruined.” She argued that the investigation is still at an early stage, that he is a young man with no criminal record, and that he may ultimately not be connected to the allegations. “This will really hurt him,” she said. “This is about his career. If his name is published, he is finished. I do not want that to happen.”

Police, however, opposed the request and said there was a public right to know. A police representative said a new unit had been established to combat gambling and bribery offenses in sports, and that the suspect had come up in another investigation. He said undercover activity had been underway for months, the case had already reached court in its covert stage, and the arrest took place early Sunday morning in the overt phase.

According to police, the suspect was detained together with his partner, who was held with him. Both gave statements, but the partner was not questioned under caution and instead gave an open testimony. Shiriki also pressed for details about the investigation, while police replied that “the facts are before the court.”