Beitar Jerusalem Criticizes Maccabi Haifa CEO After President's Award Controversy
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Beitar Jerusalem publicly criticized Maccabi Haifa CEO Itzik Ovadia for his harsh reaction to their winning the President's Award for community work, accusing him of intimidation attempts against the award committee.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Beitar Jerusalem won the President's Award for community contribution for the first time on August 16, 2026.
- Maccabi Haifa CEO Itzik Ovadia reacted negatively and sent harsh messages to the award committee.
- Beitar Jerusalem condemned Ovadia's behavior as intimidation and called it inappropriate for a CEO of a major club.
- The statement praised the community work of all league teams, including Maccabi Haifa.
- This incident represents an unprecedented public dispute between Israeli football clubs over the award.
Following Beitar Jerusalem's receipt of the President's Award for community contribution, the club issued a sharp statement targeting Maccabi Haifa CEO Itzik Ovadia. The statement, released on August 17, 2026, condemned Ovadia for sending "exceptional and harsh" messages to the award committee after Maccabi Haifa was not selected. Beitar Jerusalem praised the award as recognition of their intensive community work and expressed surprise that a CEO of a major club would attempt to intimidate a community-focused prize committee. The club emphasized that the award was rightly given and acknowledged the community efforts of Maccabi Haifa and other league teams. This public rebuke marks an unprecedented attack in Israeli football circles following the award ceremony held the previous day.
