Eran Zahavi came to the committee to examine the reform of the football association following the riots and violence on the fields, and said some particularly fascinating things. “During the Corona era, there was no audience and I was close to retiring from football,” he said at a conference held at the academic track, the management college in Israel.
“Violence on the pitches is something that shouldn’t happen,” he said, “but we need to find more correct and effective ways to solve the problems. In the end, we all live from this industry. We play because there are many fans, but some of them come to vent. Sometimes they do things Blessed, they come from love and passion. I think it is necessary to punish, but effectively and properly. Playing without an audience is not pleasant. We do not punish the audience, but make them travel a few more kilometers.”
“The players don’t play in the home stadium, it bothers everyone, people who shouldn’t be hurt by these things,” he continued, “During the Corona period, I considered retiring from playing. I felt it wasn’t the same, I didn’t feel the need to come to the field.”
When asked about the proposed alternative to the radius penalty, a reduction of points, Zahavi said: “It will be very difficult to control this, a certain team can send part of its audience to the Maccabi Tel Aviv stadium and do such and such things and the penalty will be applied to the Maccabi Tel fans and the team. I don’t think That is true and it would not be practical.”